


There is no way Imanity can cheat using magic!

by miauzhang



Category: Fate/stay night & Related Fandoms, Fate/stay night (Visual Novel), No Game No Life - Kamiya Yuu
Genre: Gen, Humor
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-12
Updated: 2018-10-09
Packaged: 2018-12-26 22:13:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 51,181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12068001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/miauzhang/pseuds/miauzhang
Summary: Imanity is the weakest of the 16 races because they can't use magic. Or that's what everyone thought. When a half homunculus magus from another world came to Disboard, what will happen?





	1. Episode IV: A New Hope

**Episode IV: A New Hope**

Elchea city. The last kingdom of imanity. Inside a rundown bar, two women was sitting face to face holding cards.

The black haired woman wearing black clothes and dark veil, Kurami, set down her cards on the table.

"No... nooo!" Her opponent was screaming as she looked at the cards. Stephanie Dora, the granddaughter of the late Imanity King. She had pink short hair and wore white expensive clothes. "There's no way I can lose!" She was still in denial.

They were playing game that would decide the next king of Imanity. For whatever reason, the late king had decreed that his successor would be the chosen through a game tournament.

"You have lost, Stephanie Dora. Now give me your clothes as stated in our agreement." Kurami said. It was stupid for the girl to also bet her clothes, but that's not Kurami's concern.

After she had taken Stephenie's clothes, Kurami went to her next opponent. Only two more rounds and she would be crowned as the new king. Perhaps, it could save Imanity... no, she would save Imanity. Even if she had to rely on her friend.

Her next opponent is a little girl with long white hair, dressed in purple blouse and white skirt. She introduced herself with graceful motion, "My name is Illyasviel von Einzbern. Nice to meet you."

'Einzbern?' Kurami had never heard of a noble house named Einzbern. She was sure that she had gathered enough intelligence but maybe one or two minor Houses had slipped through.

It didn't matter. Noble or commoner, they were all still imanity. No imanity could perceive magic or use magic. And that's why Kurami would win again. She glanced to the corner where her friend Fii sat down and subtly nodded. Fii saw it and replied with her own nod.

Kurami and Illyasviel played a poker game, as agreed. The game would be one round. After drawing her cards, Kurami gave a signal for Fii to change her cards. As usual, the cards in her hand would change into a good combination and...

Kurami waited. And waited. And waited. She stared to her cards but they didn't change. Why? What's Fii doing?

"What's wrong?" The white haired little girl in front of her said. "Even if you stare at your cards, they won't change, you know." Illyasviel looked smug as if she knew what Kurami was planning.

Kurami jerked her eyes to Fii's direction. 'Fii, what's wrong?' She asked through their telepathic connection.

Fii stared back at her in panic. It looked like she tried to say something with telepathy but nothing came through their connection. In fact, Kurami realized that their connection had been cut off.

Cold sweat appeared on Kurami's forehead. Something or someone had interfered with Fii's magic. And Kurami couldn't do anything about it, lest she revealed that they had been cheating. Could it be another race?

Kurami was a slave who belonged to Fii's family, the Nirvalen. They are of the elves race. But Fii treated her as a genuine friend, even if she was a different race. When news of the Imanity King Selection reached their ears, Kurami pleaded to Fii to help her win Imanity's crown. There was no other choice. Imanity must rely on another race to survive.

Kurami had won all of her games by Fii's assistance. Fii had changed her cards to be better than her opponents. She was so sure that she would win the tournament and became the king... until she faced this little albino.

But Imanity couldn't use magic. Illyasviel must had been helped by someone from another race, just like Kurami.

"Please be quick. We haven't got all day." Illyasviel said. "You can flirt with your elf girlfriend later."

'She knew! There's no mistake!'

"You! Who is cooperating with you?" Kurami said while glaring at Illyasviel.

"What do you mean? Cooperate?" The little girl tilted her head.

Kurami hissed in low voice. "Don't act dumb. There must be someone from another race helping you with magic. You cheated."

Illyasviel open her mouth in astonishment. "Me? Cheating? I just create a bounded field that block all external magic around us. I was watching your game earlier and I know your elf friend helped you. I have noone helping me, I swear."

"Lies! Imanity can't use magic. You can't possibly see it, and blocking it is more preposterous! "

"Well, sucks to be imanity... I am not exactly an imanity though... "

"Wha? Then you are not eligible to participate!" Was she another race pretending to be imanity?

"But I can't be classified as anything else. Well, I guess we will see whether the system will acknowledge me or not. Anyway, I am ready to show my cards. Are you ready?"

Kurami gritted her teeth. She couldn't do anything without compromising discarded some cards and took some new cards. Her hands were still not better than before.

She showed her cards. "A pair of Jack."

Illyasviel showed hers. "Four Aces. My win. Nice playing with you. Oh, and tell your girlfriend I said hi!" The little girl got up from her seat and left Kurami.

Kurami stared at the little girl's back. An imanity who could use magic. An impossibility. And probably a new hope for Elchea Kingdom.


	2. Whatever it takes, just for a rematch.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The beginning

The supreme god Tet was bored.

It was already more than 6000 years since he became the One True God of this world. He had set up the rules of the world and waited for the one who could challenge him. So far, no one had realized his intention. This world was still the same. Nobody had the aspiration to challenge him, they only concerned themselves with their petty squabbles.

At this point he tried to travel to another world to see if anyone could be brought in to his world to spice things up. With the condition of Imanity Race, they would need a savior. That would be the excuse. With that thought, he journeyed across dimension.

After some searching, he discovered "Kuuhaku/ Blank" [ ]. The gamer sibling who reign in all of the online game in a certain world. But before he could investigate further, he got distracted by another thing.

It was a pocket dimension in a small city named Fuyuki. It was a world where nothing happened but everything inside was happening. It was an unreal world where things were real. It was a four days timeloop in infinite iteration.

Tet entered inside it and found that the world was essentially a game. More precisely, Eroge. With a dense harem protagonist who ran around searching for clues.

However there was something else that took Tet's attention. There was a minigame inside. Curiosity won and he entered it.

**ILLYA CASTLE: EINZBERN ASSAULT.**

**NEW GAME -)**

Tet found himself inside a building. The floor was created from wood. There's a writing in local language that say: "Tiger Dojo"

There were people waiting. A guy in blue suit greeted him. "Hey, I haven't see you before. You're a Servant?"

It seemed that it was a competition in which Master and Servant took part. The guy who called himself Lancer didn't bring his Master. Just like a woman dressed in robe and cowl. The others were Master and Servant pair.

"Don't worry!" Lancer said to Tet. "Having a Master was not guarantee that you will win. Be confident!"

Tet thanked the nice guy. He mingled around and got to know the people. There were Saber with her Master Shirou, Archer and Rin, Rider and Sakura, and Caster who came alone.

A woman named Taiga came and gave a speech. "Welcome chosen ones!"

It was basically saying that her apprentice rebelled and challenged her. So, the teams gathered here would storm the castle and bring her down.

"Your target is Tempest: Illya's Castle!" Taiga ended her speech.

Tet inspected himself. His power had been reduced, possibly to be on par with the 'Servants'. He had to play by the rules of this game. There was HP. There was MP. And there was Noble Phantasm.

What was Noble Phantasm?

Tet didn't know. And that's why he lost in the first round.

They just had to jump across the lake on the floating stones. He got the last place.

It couldn't be helped! All of the other players were cheating! Archer called upon hail of swords upon him! Another, Saber, shot a blast of light energy from her sword! He had no chance!

And who put food on the floating stones? That was more of impediment. Eh? Why were the others eating them?

And this is a fighting game? Nobody said that! When two participants got close with each other, they fought it out.

"Lancer died!" "Idiot!" "Stupid!" So cruel!

Whoa! What is that black thing with tentacle which rose from the water?

"What? You think Holy Grail War is some kind of game?" Saber said. I don't get what she meant at all!

And the Masters didn't really help, only cheering and gave useless order from afar.

Tet had went quite far when Caster used Noble Phantasm. Suddenly a samurai came out of nowhere and slash him! He automatically went back a few steps. Tet now knew that Noble Phantasm mean that kind of things. It made no difference though. Tet didn't have any! It's unfair!

As mentioned before, Tet got last place.

Second round was about to begin. And then the earlier woman, Taiga is back. "Welcome my surviving elites! The trials continue! Okay off you go! Use your strength to cook them to perfection! Mushroom Trip!"

Tet didn't understand a single thing from her instruction. He observed the other participants to know what he should do.

They had to jump to a huge poisonous mushroom. It is floating in the air and spinning, and they should grab it and got across. Why? Who the heck designed this game?

"You're in the way! Fall off!" Lancer said.

"Shut up Lancer." Archer said and hopped to a wooden plafform.

"I win!" Lancer said, but he misjudged the timing and fell to the chasm below.

"Lancer died!" someone said. "You're not human!" Another commented.

Tet somehow managed to get across. But it's bad, his HP had turned red.

To refill his HP, Tet must eat food. In light speed.

Impossible.

The blonde petite lady, Saber, ate so fast it was unbelievable. The other Servants also ate very quickly, leaving Tet in the dust. What kind of people were these Servants?

Eh, another mushroom? Whoa, he almost got hit by missile. He wanted to complain to the game designer.

"This mushroom has a springy texture." Archer said. What, you have time comment on that? You are so relaxed that you could afford to feel it?

"Yes, it is." Saber said. "Yeah, I know." Rider also commented. What's wrong with these people!

The last part was a cliff. They had to climb it without rope. And it was very smooth, without any place to grab. And the Servants could climb it! Each step consumed HP and Tet had to rest frequently to recharge. He fell down repeatedly until he finally managed to reach the goal.

No need to say, Tet got last place.

Third round. They had to cross the bridge while being harassed by cannon and flying maids. Tet suffered again from the lack of Noble Phantasm. And in the end of the bridge, a golden armored man was raining weapons. Tet couldn't get through.

When he was off guard, Saber knocked Tet out and used him as a shield. She managed to reach the goal and left Tet dying by the roadside. Evil.

When Tet got up, Caster did the same thing again to him and reached the goal.

When he finally reached the goal, he had wasted too much time and got last place. Again.

The woman, Taiga, appeared again. Now she gave a mission briefing.

This time, he also found out the name of the last boss.

"The detested castle is right before you! Throw down the challenge to the silver-haired mistress, but be careful!"

Taiga proceed by speaking about blood and tears and getting along. And mushrooms. Or something about cooperation...

"Now, proceed fearlessly my elites! Go and become the light!" Taiga said something incomprehensible.

Finally, at the last round, all the Servants teamed up together to bring down Illya and Bersercar.

"I am not an Einzbern doll. I hate adults! I hate society!" Illya said. Tet felt that there must be a backstory, if not, she was just a rebellious kid. "All of you... All of you should just die!" Okay, she was a psycho who need to visit a psychologist.

Tet was not contributing to the battle at all. He couldn't approach Illya or deal notable damage. All the other Servants had some fighting skill, but Tet didn't have that.

And what was this thing of having to eat in the middle of battle to restore HP? Yes it was standard in games, but to do it in real life? Crazy!

Finally, Illya and Bersercar was defeated. Tet didn't know how he managed to stay alive. Everyone else was also alive... no. Lancer had died.

The credit began to roll... and then an alarm siren went off. Illya weakly raised her head and spoke. "It's the end. In that case..." A button came out from the floor. "... you can all die with me!" She pressed it.

The castle shook. Illya pushed a button with her last power that would make the castle self-destruct!

"This is bad!" "Let's get out of here!" All the Servants were running left Illya who cackled madly amidst falling stones.

The Masters were riding a car from somewhere, so unfair!

The Servants were running while being chased by destruction. The one with slow movement would be left behind. Nobody would help you.

Who was the slowest of them all? Yep. Tet.

He fell down to the chasm along with Illya and Bersercar.

"The newbie fell down." "He was not fated to survive." "How sad."

Tet got transferred to a place together with Illya and her maids. Somehow, he knew that this was the place where the fallen one wait. There was a hole where he could see the outside of the castle.

There, some distance outside, he could see Taiga giving debriefing. The Masters and Servants were watching the castle collapsing. And then a man's voice gave the epilogue.

And then he saw the ending credit. And the score list.

Tet was 6th. The dead last.

Tet, the god of game, the unbeatable gamer, was dead last. The loser.

_Unacceptable!_

"This is not the end!" Tet said even when the writing "The End" flashed across the sky. "I will bring you all to my world and we will play at MY TERMS!"

Having decided that, Tet used his power and opened a dimensional portal to his homeworld. He sucked everyone and everything.

' _Huh?_ ' It was strange. The Masters were not pulled. The Servants were sucked in by the portal, but the human Masters didn't even budge. Except Illyasviel, because the portal was opened right beside her. Well, she was standing right beside Tet, having fall together with the child god. And also the two maids, they were also sucked inside the portal.

Tet considered pulling the three human Masters with his power, but before he could do it, the miniature world collapsed. It couldn't maintain itself with the strain of open dimensional portal. And maybe because Illya's existence was important to maintain this world.

' _Hmm. Yeah, I guess it's okay. The Masters didn't really do anything. What I need is only the Servants for the rematch.'_

With that thought, Tet entered the portal and closed it.

=====000======

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Minigame from Fate Hollow Ataraxia, Tempest: Illya Castle  
> It was also featured in Carnival Phantasm
> 
> Episode I : Fate Zero  
> Episode II: Fate Stay Night  
> Episode III: Fate Hollow Ataraxia


	3. Hello, Child Protection Service

**Hello, Child Protection Service?**  
  
Emiya Shirou woke up in his room. He got a feeling that he just had a very strange dream. He couldn't really remember the content of the dream. There was a feeling like he was involved in an obstacle race or something. Only, it was Saber who participated. Along with other Servants.  
  
Well, it must be a dream. Saber had gone back to her time. No Servants remained after the end of Holy Grail War.  
  
He quickly rose and exited the room. He did his usual morning habit and then head to the kitchen. A lot of mouth needed to be feed.  
  
When he had finished preparing breakfast, Sakura arrived. She greeted him as usual, and Shirou asked her to wake Illya up.  
  
Not too long after that, Rin arrived and sat down at the dining room. After that Taiga also arrived. Shirou had set the table and now all they need was for Illya and Sakura to come, and they can start breakfast.  
  
"Senpai!" Sakura's voice echoed throughout the house. She hurriedly came to the dining room and shouted, "Illya is not in the house."  
  
Shirou got worried about that. Where did Illya go? She didn't really need to go anywhere else, and nobody should be able to kidnap her without alerting the bounded field.  
  
They searched for her throughout the house, but Illya was nowhere to be found.  


======BREAK======

  
**Illya POV**  
  
I was falling.  
  
Surrounding me was darkness. Gap between dimension. Place between worlds.  
  
Hm? How did I get here?  
  
I remembered sleeping normally. And then the Holy Grail and Avenger did something, and a dream world was made. Everyone was pulled in and trapped inside the a four days timeloop.  
  
Because of my connection to the Holy Grail, I could sense and deduce what actually happen. And I didn't do anything about it. I thought that having everyone enjoying their lives were good. Even if it was an ephemeral dream, a fleeting happiness that would disappear.  
  
I even made my own improvement! I constructed a miniature world inside the dream world, where the Servants could have fun. A mini-game of sorts, with obstacles and challenges. I called it 'Illya's Castle'. With yours truly as the final boss. Ohohohohoho!  
  
I remembered the game was played as usual when a stranger mixed in among participants. I ignored him, because he was not winning anyway. But after he lost, he threw a fit and... he sucked me here?  
  
"Hello." A voice called to me. It was that stranger in colorful clothes.  
  
"Who are you? And where do you take me?" I asked him. We were floating in the darkness, without any point of reference.  
  
"I am Tet, the god of game. I am taking you to my world for a rematch." He replied. "I got carried away earlier and I forgot to ask for your permission before taking you to another world. So, do I have your permission?"  
  
Playing a game? She could do that, sure. "As long as I got back before dinner. Shirou will be worried if I didn't get back at dinner time."  
  
Tet got a frown on his face. "Well... that's quite difficult." He said. "You will have to stay for months, possibly years, to complete my challenges."  
  
Well, that was a deal breaker. "Sorry, but I can't do it." I said to him.  
  
"Why?" He asked. He seemed to really want me there. "You're worried about this Shirou? The other Master? Hmm, how about I return you back after you complete the game. Only several hours will pass in your original world, even if you spent years in my world."  
  
Wow, he could do that? Normally, I would accept. I was quite curious about his world and his game. Especially if he call himself god of game. Sadly, I was not a normal game. "Sorry, it is impossible. I will die in around eleven months. I can't spend years in your world. I need to get back to Shirou."  
  
Even if I die, I want to pass away with Shirou-onii-chan beside me. I wanted to spend my remaining days with him. And also Taiga, Sakura, and even Rin.  
  
"What!?" Tet exclaimed in surprise. He looked at me intently, trying to see god knows what. Finally, he said "...It's true. You are dying. Medical treatment... no good, nothing works."  
  
What was he doing. He was a god of game, I doubt that he could somehow restore my health or my lifespan. Well, hurry up and put me back to my world!  
  
Suddenly, Tet looked at something invisible. He smiled. "Well well well, what do we have here." He reached his hand and tugged at nothing. "You have a link... hmmm? What is this... owaaaah." He said something really weird. Maybe he was crazy? Or he do drugs?  
  
Suddenly Tet took my hand and said, "Come!" He pulled me to somewhere, and then I... I SAW.  
  
We were in Akasha. Don't ask me how I knew, I just knew.  
  
And Tet literally threw me down and I fell down to Akasha. I was drowning. Yeah, I knew that I didn't make sense, but I was really drowning! Under the god damn Root of All Things! I never heard that it was a lake!  
  
Something happened to my body. It... disintegrated? Wow. Watching your own body dispersed into nothingness was unreal. Eh? How could I still see?  
  
Oh, my soul had materialized.  
  
Wait.  
  
Let me repeat. My soul had materialized.  
  
Hm.  
  
I must be dreaming. Because, did Third Magic just somewhat happened?  
  
Hmm. I checked my body. Or my soul. Argh that's confusing.  
  
I still felt the same. My magic circuits were still as Einzbern had designed. My body had not grown. There must be a mistake. With my biological age, I should gain a shapely pair of breast! Where do I lodge complaint? Is there a hotline for Alaya?  
  
I got pulled out from the lake... if it was really a lake. Tet greeted me, "Hey, welcome back. So, how's it going?" He asked with a wide smile.  
  
"I am fine." I replied with a hint of annoyance. I guessed that I should thank him. "Thank you by the way. I think I am immortal now. How did you do that anyway?"  
  
"Oh, I just follow the link and examined it." He said. "And then I saw the solution to your problem. Now, are you ready? We will go to... wait a minute! Where are the others?" He looked around.  
  
"Who?" I asked him. The others? Oh, Sella and Liz also sucked in!  
  
"The Servants!" Tet replied.  
  
I swam around in nothingness and saw two bubbles containing Sella and Liz. I approached them. They were in some kind of sleep state. The bubbles surrounding them were made from a film of prana-something that acted as protection.  
  
"There they are!" Tet was in some other place, pursuing something. I ignored him. My maids were more important! Servants could just go back to the Throne of Heroes, but my maids could disappear in nothingness!  
  
When I had somehow secured my maids, Tet approached me. He brought six glowing blue balls as small as tennis ball. "What are those?" I asked him.  
  
"Well, these are the Servants. I don't know what happened, they are in this state and getting pulled there." He pointed to a region close to the Root. Ah, The Throne of Heroes. Don't ask me why I know it, I just knew. And don't ask why we could leisurely chatting here... wherever here was.  
  
Of course the Servants would be in that state. Between the end of Holy Grail War, involved in the dream world, and losing the connection to the world, they had been reduced to just spirits. That's why they were easily pulled by Tet when he opened his dimensional gate. In contrast, the Masters were not really exist in the dream world, so they couldn't be pulled. Unless you're unlucky and stood just right beside that gate...  
  
That led to me explaining about the Heroic Spirits, the nature of Servants contract, the Holy Grail War, the Heaven's Feel, and the dream world where Tet had pulled us out. In short, he couldn't take the Servants to another world.  
  
"What!" Tet received the information with shock. "They can't exist without steady supply of prana? Then how will I get my rematch?"  
  
I shrugged and said, "Don't know. Now, can you transport me back. I mean, you only want to have rematch with the Servants, right? I am not involved." Technically I am involved, but he didn't need to know that. After all, I was just a victim who got sucked in when Tet targeted the Servants.  
  
Tet looked like he almost gave in to my request, when he suddenly got a flash of inspiration. "Hey, this Holy Grail War... the Masters supplied prana to Servants, right?"  
  
"Yes...?" I cautiously answered. What did he want to do?  
  
"And you are a Master, right?  
  
Suddenly, I knew what he want to do. "Hey! Supplying prana for six Servants is impossible! Don't tell me you plan to make me the Master for all of them?"  
  
"Yes." Tet grinned with (what I thought as) malicious feel. "You will anchor all of them, and they can play in my world! And don't lie about prana. I know you had unlimited prana now."  
  
Damn. I had hoped that he didn't know that. After my soul materialized by the Heaven's Feel, I literally had no limit on my prana supply. Combined that with my huge output, I could easily supply twenty Servants.  
  
But I wanted to go home.  
  
"No! No! No! Bring me home! I wanna go home!" I began to wail.  
  
"Don't worry. When you finished I will return you to the exact same day. Now... how do I do this..." Tet was making strange gestures and sometimes he was lost in thought.  
  
I continued to protest, but he ignored me. After a while, I got bored wailing and stopped.  
  
After what seemed like forever... maybe it was really forever, as time had no meaning here, Tet finished. "Perfect! When you arrived in my world, you will have all six contracts with the Servants. And also the Command Spell."  
  
Huh. Neat. At least I had Command Spell... but I actually had special unlimited Command Spell on my body... or not? With a new soul-body I was not really sure. But I still need to be cautious around Caster. She had Rule Breaker that can dissolve contracts.  
  
"Right. Bring your maids too. Come this way." Tet grabbed the balls containing the Servants and moved to a certain... direction. I assumed that he led them to his world. I briefly wondered if I could just head to another direction and escape.  
  
I eliminated that thought. I had no way of knowing the way home in this sea of darkness. But if it was dark, why could I saw everything perfectly?  
  
Tet was getting farther away. Seeing no other choice, I reluctantly followed. I will my soul-body to move... and surprise! I could move!  
  
After some no-time, we arrived at the destination. Tet opened up a hole in the middle of nowhere, and we passed through the hole.  
  
And then I was falling down from somewhere thousand kilometers above the sea. The hole exited to somewhere above the clouds.  
  
I screamed.  
  
"Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"  


======break=====

  
**SYSTEM NOTIFICATION**  
  
New Skills obtained! By using Third Magic to materialize your soul, these skills had been learned.  
  
**Immortality (Lv Max):** Unlimited lifespan and immunity to normal diseases. Cannot be killed by physical means. Wounds will heal rapidly. Fatal wounds are not fatal.  
  
**Unlimited Prana (Lv Max)** : due to the soul becoming analogous to a perpetual motion machine, Illya got unlimited source of magical energy.  
  
DING!  
  
New Skills obtained! By touching Akasha, this skill had been learned.  
  
**Pure Eyes of Magical Perception (Lv Max):** A mutation around the magic circuit around the eyes had occured. Illya's eyes evolved and they could see the working of spells, magecraft, or anything build by magic. Even the natural flow of mana could be perceived.


	4. Where is my status screen

**disclaimer: No Game No Life is owned by Kamiya Yuu. Fate franchise is owned by Type Moon.**  


**=====00=====**

  
**Where is my status screen?**  
  
**Illya POV**  
  
I am falling.  
  
From somewhere above the clouds. It must be more than ten thousand meters above ground right? Forget it, even if it was five thousand meters, I would still be splattered on the ground.  
  
Looking back at this moment later, I should not be afraid. My immortality guaranteed that I would still be alive even after my body crashed on the ground. But tell me honestly, if you were in my position, could you calmly thought about that and not panic?  
  
The one who said that there would be no tension after the Third Magic, shame on you! Try falling down from the sky without parachute!  
  
Anyway, at this time I didn't remember about that fact, so I screamed. "Kyaaaaaaaah"  
  
"Waaaaaaaaaaaah"  
  
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh"  
  
There were voices other than me. Huh.  
  
I looked around. I saw Saber, Archer, Lancer, Rider, and Berserker in the sky adjacent to my position. Saber was stoically examining her situation. Rider and Berserker was silent. Wait, Rider brought her dagger close to her throat, she must be considering taking out her Pegasus.  
  
Archer and Lancer were screaming. They were the ones I heard before.  
  
Well, I was sure they had something up their sleeves that they could pull. Saber had taken out her sword and aimed at downwards. Maybe she intended to use the wind to soften the fall?  
  
Berserker... I had no worry at all. Noticing the Servants action, I also thought about how I would survive this fall. Now what should I do...  
  
Come to think of it, I seemed to miss something.  
  
And suddenly, I stopped falling. I was suspended mid-air. A shadow descended from above and adressed me. "I noticed you have a bit of trouble." A woman voice said to me. "And I have some questions that need answers. Can't get that answers with you dead."  
  
I looked above, and lo, there was Caster, floating with style. Damn, why she could fly and I could not. If only I know how to fly I could... huh?  
  
_Threedimensionalmaneuvergravitationalwavesaircurrentweightreductionforceinertiabrakemanacontrolaccelerationforcefieldaroundtheskindescendingascendingbreakfallvelocity_...  
  
Huh? I think I know how to fly.  
  
Not that I would try it immediately. Ugh my head got a bit dizzy and my eyes were seeing some incomprehensible things.  
  
Saber said from her position. "Well, maybe you should put us down first. It will be nice having discussion when we have the ground touching our feet." Apparently, Caster also suspended other Servants in the air.  
  
Except Berserker.  
  
"Hey, why do you let him fall?" I protested.  
  
Caster replied in annoyed tone. "If you don't notice, doll, I am taxing myself here. Look at Saber." She pointed at Saber who fell down in slow motion. "I need to keep her afloat despite her magic resistance. And other Servants also have magic resistance. I need to manipulate the air around them. I think," She emphasized it. "I don't need to waste my energy for a guy who don't need it."  
  
I looked around. Well, what she said was true. I conceded, "Fine. Now let us down. Slowly."  
  
Caster had annoyed expression, but she let us touch down smoothly. It took several minutes, but we were all safely descended. Even Berserker had come from his landing spot and stood near our landing zone.  
  
Hm. Maybe Caster was getting soft after the dream world. She was enjoying a newlywed life there after all.  
  
I looked around us. This was another world? What's that strange shape on the horizon? The planets were close. Or were they moons?  
  
"Where are we?" Saber said.  
  
"Huh, are those chess pieces?" Archer said.  
  
"I think that's a floating island..." Rider said.  
  
Lancer then looked at me and said, "so, I remembered we were in some kind of illusionary world, and then there is this guy who pull us out. Now all I know is that we are in another world and I should ask you for more information."  
  
Caster nodded. "The same information I got. Usually Servants are given basic information about the world they are summoned into. But I only got 'ask Illyasviel' for that."  
  
Wha! No wonder everyone was looking at me since a while ago.  
  
"I only know that this is the world of Tet, god of game. It is called Disboard and he take us here to play games. He said that after we fulfill certain conditions, we can challenge him." I told them the little information that I had. Tet didn't really told me much.  
  
"Illyasviel." Rider said. "You have become my Master, correct? I can sense our contract."  
  
"Yes. That's true." I answered. "I become the Master for all of you."  
  
The reaction that I got from my Servants... were not encouraging. They each had attachment to their original Master. Saber lamented that she could not see Shirou. Archer didn't show much, but it seemed like he regretted being separated with Rin. Caster cursed the heaven and complained about her ruined honeymoon.  
  
Rider... she said that she regretted that she didn't kill Zouken and Shinji when she had a chance. Huh. Interesting.  
  
Berserker was happy that he came with me. I knew it from his expression.  
  
Lancer was silent. I couldn't get a read from him. Maybe it was complicated?  
  
Anyway, it was all just attachment from the dream world anyway. I reminded them that all of them had passed away and were in the process of going back to the Throne of Heroes anyway. Before that altercation happened.  
  
"So, what should we do?" Archer said.  
  
"Well, a world that belong to the god of game must be fun." I said. "Why don't we all just take it easy and follow his rules."  
  
The Servants agreed after some discussion. For now, we would try heading to the nearest town. Caster had seen it from the sky before.  
  
While we walked to a direction of the town, I contemplated about what Tet had said. He seemed to imply that this world operated under special rules, just like a game.  
  
Maybe we were inside a Virtual Reality game?  
  
Or a different world that had Level system? Maybe they had Adventurer Guild, and we would have to do quest to raise our Rank. Hmmm, I would love to do some goblin extermination. Or maybe like the cliche story, I would be a Hero and defeat the Demon King. Ohohoho.  
  
Let's try to confirm it. If this world operate on Level system like RPG game, or if it was a VR game, there must be a Status Window. And Inventory. Or something like that.  
  
"Menu! Status! Stats! Inventory! Skills!"  
  
Nothing came out.  
  
"Illyasviel, what are you doing?" Saber asked me. She was confused by my behavior.  
  
"Log out!" I tried again. "Link start!" "Link end. Link down. End game."  
  
I also tried to gestured with my hand, trying to call up the Menu Window. Damn, no result. This was really a buggy game. Or maybe the evil GM trapped me in here and erase the log out button?  
  
"Call GM!" Nothing happened.  
  
Hmm. So this world had no status screen or something like that. Maybe it was all manual? Like those adventure game without HP bar and you had to rely on instinct.  
  
"Maybe she was practicing a magic ritual. Ignore her." Caster said to Saber. Caster looked like she wanted to forego walking and teleported all the way. I was still wary of her, but it seemed that she didn't have any reason to betray me. For now.  
  
By the way, we were all colorful bunch. We wore our usual outfit, the one we usually used in Holy Grail War. I hoped armor and robes were the standard attire here, or we had to buy some clothes to blend in. They could transform to spirit form, but they liked having material body.  
  
We were not far from our landing zone where a group of bandits ambushed us. Correction. We actually let them ambush us. We were kind of curious about the level of strength the inhabitants of this world had. Now was the good time to test Servants' power against them.  
  
The gang of bandits had surrounded us. Ten, maybe twelve people? Their garbs were the typical thief / bandits outfit in fantasy stories. Strange, they were not intimidated by Berserker. Or the fact that Saber, Lancer, and Archer were obviously better equipped than them. Did they have some sort of trump card?  
  
One of them step forward and said in challenging tone. "If ya wanna pass through, ya gotta do a game with us!"  
  
...  
  
...  
  
...  
  
Well, that's unexpected. Maybe it had something to do with rules that Tet had said. Still, playing a game? And if not, they would block our way? I didn't want to waste my time. Let's instruct Berserker to toss them aside.  
  
"Berserker." I commanded. "Swat them aside."  
  
Berserker growled. "▂▂▃▃▄▄▅▅!" He roared loudly.  
  
But he didn't move. Eh? Why?  
  
Archer had traced his swords, but he was also rooted on the spot. "I... I can't attack them. There is a mental interference that prohibit me from harming them."  
  
The other Servants also tried to attack, with the same result. The bandits were grinning and chuckling. "Ya can't do anything ta me. Now play dat game! Or you will be here till nite."  
  
Well, they couldn't really hold us here. The Servants could jump, or went into spirit form. I could be carried away by one of them. Caster could fly. Their threats meant nothing. But we needed information.  
  
"What game?" I asked him.  
  
"You can decide. I bring some board games and cards with me."  
  
"What happen if I win or lose?" I asked again. Things about this world started to become clear.  
  
"If I win, I will get all of your belongings. If I lose... how about all of my belongings?"  
  
So it was a bet, decided by a game. "How about if I win you will honestly answer all of my questions? I need some information."  
  
"Deal! Who will play?" He asked with a grin.  
  
Hm. I glanced at the Servants. Who could play and absolutely win?  
  
"Archer. Come here."  
  
I outlined the rules. They would play a guessing game. Cards would be put on the ground, face down. Players could only touch the cards with one finger, and guess which card it was. They would take turn guessing and flipping the cards. The first one who guessed right five times would win.  
  
"Ok then." The bandit leader said. " **Aschente!** "  
  
"?" I was confused. "?" Archer also stared at him blankly.  
  
"Oi, what are you doing." The bandit said. "You're supposed to take the pledge. Don't tell me you don't know. From what sticks are you from?"  
  
"Ah sorry. What was it again?" Archer tried to say the word. "As-~# $urrghhh" He was cut off in the middle.  
  
' _Illya, I can't take the pledge. Something prevented me to say it.'_ Archer said.  
  
What? Why? This was another confusing thing. Where was the game manual where you need it? Could it be because we were from another world?  
  
_'No, it is because he is not human. Only the Exceeds can take the oath.'_ Tet's voice sounded in my head. The Evil GM was here!  
  
He chuckled after hearing my retort. ' _Your Servants will be treated as part of you. Your own limbs. Only you can take the pledge. So don't hesitate and say the word Aschente, and then you can let your Servants play for you.'_  
  
Well that's nice to know, but there's no way I would believe everything Evil GM said. I said to the bandit leader, "I will take the pledge, but he will be the one representing me to play. Is it okay?"  
  
The bandit leader agreed. So I said " **Aschente**!" And then I let Archer play the game.  
  
Of course I told him to use [Structural Grasp] to read the card. He got 100% correct guess.  
  
Still, the bandits didn't immediately surrender. They planned to overwhelm us with numbers from the beginning. I propose the same game, and they agreed. Strange, why didn't they try to pick another game? Surely they saw how Archer wipe out his opponent?  
  
After we defeated all of them, Saber began the interrogation. The information we got was fairly interesting. It turned out that Tet was The One True God, aside from the God of Game. He rised to his position without fighting, because all of the competition had self destructed. When he ascended, he enforced a rule that "Everything will be decided by game."  
  
All the sixteen intelligent races on the planet had to follow the new rules. The rules were called the [Ten Oaths]. The rules effectively eliminate all violence. Things were not decided by power anymore, but by wisdom.  
  
Hmm, number five, that's why the bandits didn't try to change the game.  
  
I need to memorize these rules.  
  
**【1】 All bloodshed, war, and pillage is forbidden throughout the world.**  
  
**【2】 All disputes are to be resolved through the outcome of games.**  
  
**【3】 In games, wagers will be made on what both parties decide to be of**  
  
**equal value.**  
  
**【4】 Unless contrary to "Three", the game content and the things wagered donot matter.**  
  
**【5】 The challenged party has the right to decide the contents of the game.**  
  
**【6】 "As per the Oath", the wager will be unconditionally adhered to.**  
  
**【7】 All matters for group conflicts will be decided by a representative.**  
  
**【8】 If cheating is detected during a game, it will be regarded as a defeat.**  
  
**【9】 The above rules are unconditionally everlasting, upheld in the name ofGod.**  
  
**【10】— Everyone should get along while playing games.**  
  
We left the bandits who had fallen into despair and resumed our journey. We also discussed the [Ten Oaths] along the way. The Servants had already discovered several loopholes to circumvent the oaths. I didn't really know whether it was their wisdom stat was high, or their crime coefficient was high.  
  
I walked while enjoying the scenery. The sky looked different. The plants were strange. Was that a dragon flying in the sky?  
  
We arrived to the town without any more trouble. I told my Servants to get into spirit form for now, because their outfit were too conspicuous. Except Saber, who for whatever reason couldn't do it. I don't know what's her problem, she was pure spirit in the Akashic Space before! Maybe she's just being difficult.  
  
We got the name of the town. Elchea, capital of Elchea Kingdom. How unimaginative. And there was no other city in the kingdom. Hey, if you want to make a city-state, just say it from the beginning! No need to make a misunderstanding!  
  
"Ah, little miss, it's not like that. You must be from afar." The kindly grandfather that spoke with us said. "Elchea used to be bigger. Much, much bigger. But we had fallen into hard times recently."  
  
And that's when we listened to thirty-minutes lecture on the history of this pathetic kingdom. And the idiot useless king who wagered his territory eight times against the Werebeast and lost. How he had died and then a new king would be chosen by tournament.  
  
Apparently he said, " ** _Rather than be of my blood, the succeeding king shall be humankind's greatest gambler."_** Hmm that's quite a cool statement there. The previous king must have some hidden purpose.  
  
But his purpose was irrelevant. The important thing was how to take advantage of the situation.  
  
We were transported into this world without any money. After asking around, we found out that there was no Adventurer Guild where we could take RPG-like quest. With prohibition of violence, there was no war where we could be hired as mercenary. There was no goblin to exterminate, no princess to save, no medicinal herbs to be gathered (even if there is, I would not do it), no demon lord to be defeated.  
  
We need a place to sleep. And that royal palace sounded good already. If I became the king, I didn't need to work, I had place to sleep, and I would always have food to eat.  
  
Of course we could get by even if we took other path. Archer could cook. Others could take some jobs. Though, from what I saw of the economic condition, it would be difficult. There were too many unemployed and homeless people. Alright, to be king then!  
  
And think about it. That Evil GM God threw us at this region, where the king's selection was in its last phase. Coincidence? I think not. Maybe this was the quest! Saving the country!  
  
I need a place to sleep tonight. Let's register and defeat all remaining participants before dusk!  
  
And I would definitely win. After all, cheating was okay. The rule number eight basically said that it was okay as long as you don't get caught.  
  
Card games? I could do [Structural Grasp] to the whole deck, or use [Spying] magic. Or changing the cards with [Alteration].  
  
With that thought, I strode to the registration table.  


=====break=====

  
Ding! You have learned new skill [Flight]  
  
Ding! You have formed contract with Saber  
  
Ding! You have formed contract with Archer  
  
Ding! You have formed contract with Lancer  
  
Ding! You have formed contract with Berserker  
  
Ding! You have formed contract with Rider  
  
Ding! You have formed contract with Caster  
  
Ding! A new Quest [Become the Queen of Elchea] has been accepted.  


=====000=====


	5. Empty Fort

Disclaimer: I own nothing but plot and giggles.  


======00======

  
**Empty Fort.**  
  
Capital of Elchea— In front of the King city's public square.  
  
It was a spectacular view after emerging out of the castle's balcony, with a large public square broader  
  
Currently, the squre was being buried by countless number of people. Tens of thousands of humans were gathered here. Even the road that extended out of the public square was filled with people.  
  
Just to listen to a speech from their new king.  
  
Some expressed out the disappointment towards the foolish king of the previous generation.  
  
Some expressed out happiness as an array of hope for the escape from the abyss of despair had appeared.  
  
Some expressed curiosity for the little girl who came out of nowhere and defeated all her competitors.  
  
With the whole of Imanity's attention focusing on the balcony of the castle—  
  
A small figure came out from the castle, followed by several others.  
  
A little girl. She wore luxurious dress in white and purple motif. Red eyes and white long hair. A short and small stature. Skin as white as snow. The crown on her head clearly highlighted that she was the new queen.  
  
This was Illyasviel von Einzbern, the new queen of Elchea.  
  
Behind her, standing like honor guards, were gallant figures.  
  
A short woman with blonde hair in silver and blue armor. Saber.  
  
A tall man with tanned skin and silver hair, wearing black armor and red shroud. Archer.  
  
A man in tight blue body suit. Lancer.  
  
A purple-haired woman wearing blindfold and black tight outfit. Rider.  
  
A woman wearing night-blue robe and cowl. Caster.  
  
A huge black-skinned giant with bare chest. Berserker.  
  
Behind them, coming out and standing at the side were two maids in white outfit. Sella and Leysritt. With them, Stephanie Dora also came out and stood at the balcony.  
  
People were surprised to see the unusual company the queen had. In front of the momentarily stunned audience, the little girl – Illya, began speaking.  
  
"My people!" She began. "We are in danger. Not only from without, but also from within." Her voice was heard through the voice amplifier.  
  
There was a fuss when she said that. The new queen continued, "There are traitors in our midst. Those who sell information to other races. Bad, evil person who betray their own family."  
  
The commotion grew larger.  
  
"They are the reason our country is poor. They are the one at fault why we always lose our games. They are..." Illya continued blaming the so-called traitor for all of Elchea's problem for three minutes. At the end, the crowd was ready to kill several people.  
  
"I am very sad about this." Illya said in sombre tone. "But there is a way to redeem these people. And at the same time, to prevent the same thing from happening again."  
  
The crowd went quiet, curious about what Illya would say.  
  
"We will play Rock Paper Scissors, I and all of you here. I will play Rock, and you all will deliberately lose by playing Scissors. If I lose, nothing will happen. If I win, all of you will unconditionally obey the King or Queen of Elchea."  
  
Illya waited a moment before continuing. "Then I will issued an order that said 'do not betray Elchea'. This way, nobody can betray the country. Noone can become a spy. Do you agree?"  
  
The cheer from below indicated that the people agreed. Of course, they were somewhat emotionally provoked by Illya's speech before. So noone think on the long term consequences.  
  
"And you should look around at your surrounding. Make sure everyone take the pledge and play the game. If you see someone not taking part, then he must be the traitor."  
  
And that made sure everyone would play the game.  
  
Illya raised her hand and said " **Aschente**!"  
  
" **Aschente**!" The people of Elchea also said.  
  
"Jan-ken-pon" Illya said and played Rock. The sea of people below played Scissors.  
  
"Ah... now that's taken care... let's move on to the next business." Illya said. "Dearest citizens of Elchea. Fellow human being here." Her hands rested on the balcony.  
  
"Our human kind...being constrained by the 『Ten oaths』, forcing us to have continuous failures due to the predicament of not having war, and what remains now is this last city, this last country— and why is this happening?"  
  
The crowd went silent, hearing the abrupt question.  
  
—Because of the missteps from the previous king— because we are unable to use magic.  
  
All their hearts contained different answers,as they wait for Illya's next word.  
  
"Was it because the previous king failed? Or was it because we are ranked 16th? Or was it because we are unable to wield magic? Or was it because we are the most inferior race? Does this equates to us feebly walking to the path of destruction!?— sorry, but all of them are true." Illya said casually.  
  
Everyone got startled when the new queen nonchalantly admitted that fact.  
  
Without any energy in her voice, Illya lazily listed Imanity's fault.  
  
"We are unlike the elves who can use a variety of magic, nor do we possess strong physical ability like orcs, and we don't have longevity like the HeavenlyWinged— Imanity sucks! There is no other way to say it!"  
  
Of course this was a fact that everybody understand. But she didn't have to say it to their face like that!  
  
"We are [weak]! Imanity is the weakest beings on this planet! The human species can't use magic, even perceiving it is impossible" Illya said with a little more energy.  
  
The people got into despair as their new queen stated her view.  
  
Illya continued, "And so, what's the point of fighting? We will always lose in the end. It's better if we just surrender. That's the fate of the weak." She said it in bored tone.  
  
The crowd were now gaping, speechless.  
  
"We will surrender." Illya said to her people in matter-of-fact tone. "We will entrust our fate to a stronger race. The one who will take care of us. There will be no need for territory game anymore."  
  
The crowd of people exploded in protest. They were angry at their new ruler who apparently would surrender without fighting.  
  
"In the name of the queen, I order you to stop protesting." Illya said.  
  
The crowd instantly went silent. The effect of the previous game, they couldn't disobey the queen. The smarter ones immediately realized, this was the queen's plan from the beginning. But it's too late now, they couldn't disobey her anymore.  
  
"So, I know you guys are watching, spy from other race. I, Illyasviel von Einzbern, invite you to challenge us. If you win, you will get all of Elchea. All of its territory, all of its inhabitants, its resources. I will accept your challenge. The first one who came will get all!"  
  
Illya surveyed the sea of people again. "Now, it's not nice if all of you gave up on life and made this country worse."  
  
The people stared at her in disbelief. Of course they would be in despair and gave up. After all, what's the point of anything anymore? Their own queen had given up on the country. Why should they care anymore? What's the point of living or working hard?  
  
"That won't do." Illya said. "There is no country who wants a broken province. You should keep this country _attractive_ for other country to pluck."  
  
People wanted to protest again, but they couldn't. The queen, who talked about traitor before, apparently was the real traitor. She was just fattening Elchea for other country to take.  
  
"I, Illyasviel von Einzbern, I declare that I am the 255th generation, the Queen of Elchea. Thus I pronounce my order to all citizens:  
  
_One, you shall not betray Elchea._  
  
_Two, you shall do your best to contribute to Elchea's welfare._  
  
_Three, you shall not fall into despair and continue with your daily life_. Dismissed."  
  
There was no cheer. There was no exclamation of joy. There was no protest. All was silent. People began to disperse and continue with their lives, waiting for the inevitable fate.  
  
Illya turned around and went back to the castle.  


=====break=====

  
"What was that!" Steph said in flat, defeated tone. If she raised her tone, it could be construed as 'protest', and she couldn't do that.  
  
She was directing her question to Saber, who was following Illya. The blonde woman seemed to be calm, despite what Illya said before.  
  
"If she said that, other countries would attack us. And-and! She basically said that she would handed Elchea in silver platter for the first country that attack us. Why... why did she..." Steph said in defeated tone.  
  
Saber looked at her in the eyes and said, "Which country?"  
  
"Eh?" Steph said, confused by the question.  
  
Saber asked again, "which country will attack us? I will tell you, no country will attack."  
  
"Eh?" Steph got more confused. "But they will race here to be the first one to get Elchea, right?"  
  
Saber laughed hearing that. All the Servants who followed behind them made some amused noise, snickering and chuckling.  
  
"You should learn to suspect people." Saber said. "That girl, Kurami? She was backed by the elves. They provide support for her to win this country. They must think the same thing for us, that we are backed by some country. The whole world will think that some country's spy is administrating Elchea."  
  
"But... that's only speculation..." Steph uncertainly said.  
  
"True. But they will take the speech before as confirmation. Illya had defeated the elves representative, so they will think somebody is backing her. And combined with the crazy speech of [Surrender], they will think that the whole things is a trap."  
  
"Wha...!" Steph was speechless.  
  
Lancer also said to Steph, "The prize is too tempting. A country that promise to immediately surrender to the first challenger? There must be a catch. It must be a trap. So they will suspect each other, and monitoring each others."  
  
Archer also gave his view. "Noone can do anything. Remember, the challenged party will determine the game. They will be afraid of having disadvantage where Elchea decided what game they will play. Noone will take the first move."  
  
Caster also spoke, "and we will have time to do preparation. Stabilize the country, fixing the economy, things like that, while other countries watching each other."  
  
Rider grimly spoke, "However... sooner or later one will come."  
  
"Yes." Saber said. "They can't discount the possibility that Elchea is truly surrendering. It is bad if some other country got there first, so one will inevitably fall to the trap."  
  
Steph had silently listening all this time and she was glowing with hope. It was all a ploy to trick the enemy! The new queen was not a turncoat! "Illya-sama!" Steph turned to Illya who had arrived at the throne room and sat at the throne. "Forgive me for doubting you! I don't know that you are a genius!"  
  
However, Illya's expression was bitter. She looked like she had eaten a very bad fruit.  
  
"Illya-sama?" Steph tentatively asked.  
  
"Noone... will attack?" Illya said in low voice. Her expression looked lost.  
  
Saber said in certainty. "No. No country will attack immediately. They will think that it is a trap."  
  
"But...but..." Illya looked like she wanted to cry. "It was really a trap... I planned to let them have arm-wrestling match with Berserker... And defeat one country in one go..."  
  
Saber looked at her apologetically. "Unfortunately, noone will fall to that obvious trap. Cheer up. At least it worked out. You managed to buy time for us."  
  
Illya weakly nodded. "I... I don't think I am suited to rule a country. Saber... please?" She looked at her pleadingly.  
  
"Of course. Don't worry Illya, I am quite experienced for the job." Saber smiled at Illya. She turned to Steph and said, "From now on, I will handle the governmental affairs. Report them to me."


	6. Chess (n). A dairy product made from milk

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fate franchise because I can't think of complicated lore like Nasu. I do not own NGNL because I can't think of complicated game like Kamiya Yuu.  
  
It's best if you watch NGNL anime 3rd episode for the visual  
**

**====000====**

**  
Chess (n). A dairy product made from milk.  
**

**===0===**

**  
  
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION  
  
Ding! You have completed the quest [Become the Queen of Elchea]  
  
You have become the Queen of Elchea.  
  
The Title [Queen of Elchea] is obtained.  
  
Charisma +35  
  
Fame +10000  
  
Leadership +15  
  
Increased intimacy with residents of Elchea.  
  
A new area is now available. You can explore and stay at the Royal Palace.  
**

**=====break=====**

  
Winning the tournament was easy. Illya quickly defeated all the other participants. There was one interesting girl who was helped by an elf, but other than that there was no other thing of note.  
  
The old official then declared Illya, who was escorted by Saber, as the new queen.  
  
After that Illya didn't waste any time to try the King's bedchamber. She spent the night there. But there was this weird thing about the bed.  
  
"It's tilted." Archer said. "And it was done deliberately." He said while examining the bed with Structural Grasping.  
  
"Then fix it or change the bed!" Illya said, nursing her head. She had fallen from the bed in her sleep.  
  
"I will, in a moment." Archer said while looking intently to the bed. He looked around, and noticed the decoration on the bed. He stared at the left bookshelf, and compared it to the right bookshelf. And then he put his hand on the wall.  
  
"Trace on." Archer said while closing his eyes.  
  
Lancer had materialized and also examined the room. "Hoh. You think there is a secret passage somewhere?"  
  
Hearing this, the rest of the Servants also materialized and curiously examined the room.  
  
"There is." Archer said. He got a smirk on his face. "A secret room, to be exact. Maybe it is the previous king's hidden hobby?"  
  
"No, it must be a room to hide from assassin." Saber said.  
  
"Maybe a room for his mistress?" Lancer said. Caster disagreed, "No, it must be an evil experiment workshop."  
  
"It doesn't matter." Illya cut the Servants who had a wild discussion. "Where is this room?" She asked.  
  
Archer strode to the wall on the left side and pulled on the middle chandelier. He tilted it to the left three times. And then he tilted it to the right once. "There should be a hint somewhere in this room, but it will ultimately lead to this answer."  
  
The chandelier slid out, and within were four dials. Archer used another "Trace on" and he promptly entered the correct number. There were clicking sounds. Archer went to another side of the wall and revealed a section behind the curtain. There was a block that lifted out. He pushed it, and then the bookshelf moved.  
  
Replacing the bookshelf was now a hole with a locked door.  
  
"We don't have a key..." Saber said. "Maybe we should ask around about it."  
  
"Maybe." Archer said, his hand reaching to the door. "Or we could destroy the door. Or maybe we can do this. Trace on." A key was formed in his other hand. He tried the traced key, and the door unlocked.  
  
"Well... that's anticlimactic." Illya said. "Let's see what's inside."  
  
Maybe there was a treasure inside. Or gold and riches? Archer stepped inside first and made sure it was safe. One by one they entered the dark room.  
  
In there was a study, with no windows.  
  
Alongside bookshelves crammed with books were sentimental accessories, tables and chairs, all covered in dust.  
  
Archer looked over the book placed in the centre of the desk that was still open.  
  
He brushed a hand over the unreadably dusty pages.  
  
Just one statement had been written there, in a strong hand.  
  
"Everyone..." Archer said. "Have any of you learn this world's language?"  


=====break=====

  
**Achievement unlocked! You have solved the hidden quest [Foolish King's Legacy]  
  
[Previous King Notes] was obtained.  
  
A hidden area is unlocked. [King's Secret Study] is now available to be explored.**  


=====break=====

  
Stephanie Dora was taking a stroll in the royal palace.  
  
She was a teenage girl with red hair and blue eyes, wearing a frilly dress that fit a fantasy setting.  
  
From as early as she could remember, she had lived in the palace. This was her home, and she never thought that she had to leave it. But with a new king chosen, she had to vacate her room. She no longer had the right to live in the palace. This is why she was taking a last stroll in the castle. Today she would take out her things out and look for a new residence.  
  
She had tried to be the new queen. She wanted to prove to the people that the previous king, her grandfather, was not a fool. She tried to compete in the gambling tournament, but was defeated. Now all she could do was to pray that the new ruler could bring prosperity to Elchea.  
  
While she was lost in thought, someone called her. "Hey, you there!"  
  
"Eh? Me?" Stephanie looked to the source of the voice. It was a short, beautiful woman dressed in blue clothes. She didn't recognize her.  
  
"Yes, you. Are you busy at the moment?" The woman asked politely. But she had this aura that make you want to obey her command. Ah! Stephanie now remembered. She was the woman that accompanied the new queen.  
  
"I am not..." Stephanie replied.  
  
"Good." The woman strongly grabbed Stephanie's hand. What a strong grip! "I assumed you can read, judging from your apparel. We need someone to read for us." And Stephanie was dragged with brisk pace to the King's Bedchamber.  
  
Once she had arrived, she was surrounded by weird people and the new queen. She was given a dusty old book, and the queen ordered her to read. Stephanie was quite confused. Didn't the queen know how to read?  
  
Stephanie recited "From the king of the last of Imanity-to the king who will bring us back, I leave this to you."  
  
Could it be? Was this real?  
  
"I was not a 'wise king'."  
  
"I could perhaps have been remembered as an extraordinary king. But for the sake of he who is not I, that will bring a resurgence, I willingly take this shame. With the hope that through the struggles I have encountered, I believe that the path of the next king will be cleared."  
  
Stephanie's eyes were now filled with tears. This book was her grandfather's lifetime work. This was the proof that the previous king was not the foolish king.  
  
"This is a problem." The white-haired new queen said. "If she keep crying like this, we can't know what's written next."  


=====break====

  
**You have hired [Stephanie Dora] as translator and interpreter. The unit will need lodging and monthly wage. Loyalty 76/100. Intimacy 12/100.  
  
You have gained information about Eastern Union [Virtual Reality Game]**  


=====break====

  
**You have successfully completed the quest [Coronation Day].  
  
Fame +5000  
  
Charisma -30  
  
Loyalty of Elchea's residents 100/100  
  
Intimacy with Elchea's residents sharply decreased. 1/100.  
  
You have gained the title [Despair Queen].  
  
Stephanie's intimacy +10 = 22/100.**  


=====break====

  
**Kingdom of Elchea**  
  
The last of human race country.  
  
In the past, it was a large country with vast territory and many cities. But because of humanity's lack of talent with magic, it was slowly heading to destrcution. Now only the capital city Elchea was left.  
  
**Military 10  
  
Economy 230  
  
Culture 65  
  
Technology 95  
  
Sanitation 36  
  
Urban Development 87  
  
Public Order and Security 100%**  
  
Recently, there was concern about food supply and housing. Because of the lack of land to be planted and overpopulation, the public order had been steadily decreasing. The last order from the queen restore the public order but it did not eliminate the problem.  
  
The country's finance were in dire state...  
  
**[The message was truncated because it was too long]**  


====break====

  
In the throne room, the Ministers had already gathered to report to the new queen.  
  
Illya gave her first order. "Everyone, Miss Saber here," Illya pointed to Saber. "She will govern in my place. In the matter of running the country, treat her orders as my orders. Understand?"  
  
The Ministers voiced their understanding.  
  
"Now, first." Saber said. "I prohibit you to lie to the queen, and to me. That means no false report. Hm, make it to all of us here." She pointed to the Servants who lined up on the side. "And you will carry out my orders as best as you are able to."  
  
They proceeded to discuss the internal affairs. One of the biggest problem was the budget. Even when they wanted to do reform, it also needed money.  
  
Another person from modern world would possibly introduce 'Government Bond' or 'State's Debt' to finance the project. However, Saber came from a medieval world, where fund was scarce. She had resorted to pillaging before, but she couldn't do it here. So that's why, another medieval solution was needed.  
  
"If they can't eat bread, why don't they eat rice?" Illya asked. The Minister reported that there was food scarcity in the country. "What, you don't plant rice here?"  
  
After that she asked again. "What do other countries eat? Can we eat it" and "Do we have trade relations with them?"  
  
With the answer from both questions were 'yes', the logical conclusion was, "Buy food from other country. That will solve the problem." Illya said.  
  
The Minister replied, "But, there is no budget to import food. Our finance was..."  
  
Illya then thought for a second and said, "If money is the problem... do they accept gold?"  
  
"They do..." The Minister answered. He had a confused expression. Where would Elchea got gold to buy a lot of food?  
  
Illya took a metal spoon and clutched it. The spoon slowly turned yellow. In no time, it had changed into a gold spoon.  
  
Illya threw the spoon to the Minister and asked, "Do you have a lot of unused metal junks? We can use it to buy food."  


=====break=====

  
**You have installed [Arturia] as your Prime Minister.  
  
You have invested 342617G to the National Budget.  
  
Ministers loyalty +25 = 100/100  
  
Ding! Because of the ingenious governing, the country is heading to a better state.  
  
Ding! Food scarcity problem is solved.  
  
Ding! Unemployment rate decreased  
  
Ding! Tektile Industry is energized  
  
Ding! New law is made, old inefficient law discarded  
  
You have installed [EMIYA] as Public Maintenance Minister  
  
Ding! The overall technology level has risen  
  
Ding! The public road is as good as new  
  
Ding! Public Facilities are repaired 100%  
  
Citizen's satisfaction +10  
  
[The message was truncated because it was too long]**  


======break=====

  
Unexpectedly, the one that turned up and challenged Illya was not another country. It was Kurami. She was accompanied by a female elf.  
  
"You again?" Illya exclaimed. "Do you have some stupid idea like that you will prevent me from surrendering Elchea to another country? Are you that dumb?"  
  
"Of course not! I know that it's a trap, but I still think that it's too risky. Besides, there is no proof that you are not actually a spy!" Kurami said. "But that's what I thought before. Until I see her!" Kurami pointed to Caster. "You are backed by an elf! What do you say for yourself!"  
  
Illya dumbfoundedly stared at Caster. "You're an elf?"  
  
Caster bemusedly opened her cowl and revealed her ears. "I can see why there would be a misunderstanding." She said with a thin smile. Yes, she had a pointy ears, unlike human normal ears.  
  
"Ok ok. What do you want to play? I will let you decide." Illya waved her hand lazily without any motivation. She expressed her "I don't have any motivation for this" with her whole body language. Whatever she said would not be believed by Kurami.  
  
"Grrr. I will make you regret for underestimating me" Kurami said. "Do you still want to rely on her?" She glanced at Caster. "Is your claim of having magic just a lie?"  
  
"Yeah yeah. Caster, you stay here." Illya left Caster in the Throne Room. She ordered Lancer and Rider and Berserker to follow her. Saber and Archer was busy with the internal affairs.  
  
Kurami led Illya to another place where a giant chessboard had been set. She explained that they would play chess. Illya thought that Kurami must have set up this place before. There was no way she could prepare a room with giant chessboard in short time.  
  
Kurami then explained something about the chess pieces had their own will. The pieces moved by themselves to their position. Illya didn't really pay attention. "The pieces move automatically. Just give a command, and the pieces will move according to the command." Kurami said.  
  
' _Ah, voice_ command', Illya thought. She thought that it was good that she didn't need to exert herself. It would be bad if she had to lift the pieces by herself, they were huuuge.  
  
Kurami and Fii, her elf friend, would play against Illya, who was alone for this game.  
  
The bet was as followed: If Illya win, Kurami and her elf friend would provide information about the elves. If Kurami win, Illya would give the throne to Kurami.  
  
"So we will play with this chess pieces? Hmmm..." Illya examined the chess pieces from close up. She nodded and said, "Interesting. A magic item! Hmmm..."  
  
Illya then did something with her magic. Fii who observed her spoke, "What did you do? You can't cheat, that will be instant loss."  
  
"Oh, I just make a magical connection with them. They are now my temporary familiar. I am used to have this kind of connection to my Servants." Illya replied.  
  
Fii was at a loss. Was it against the rules or not?  
  
Kurami took Fii aside and asked her. Fii told her that she couldn't do the same thing that Illya did, and she didn't know what advantage it would grant Illya. They just had to do their best.  
  
Kurami and Fii took their spot. Illya also took her spot. She was accompanied by the Servants who acted as bodyguard. Lancer and Rider guarding both sides, and Berserker was behind her in spirit form.  
  
"Then let the game begin." The referee said. Yes, there was a referee, the old official who presided in the tournament before. Illya snatched him on the way here.  
  
" **Aschente**!" Both Kurami and Illya said.  
  
"I will let you take the first move." Kurami said confidently.  
  
Of course, Kurami had confidence with this game. The reason was, this was not ordinary chess.  
  
The pieces reflected the player's 'charisma', 'commanding ability', 'guiding ability', 'right to be king', and moved according to that. The player with more charisma would have clear advantage. And with brainwashing magic of the elves, Kurami could maintain maximum morale of her troops.  
  
Yes, Kurami had a good plan. Her only miscalculation was that, Illyasviel von Einzbern didn't know how to play chess.  


====break====

  
For the Einzbern, Illya's purpose was to win the Holy Grail War.  
  
Chess was a board game that simulated a fair battle between two armies. With equal number of troops, equal advantage of terrain, and omniscient view of the enemy's move. To be short, it was not a good representation of a real war. Not to mention Holy Grail War where Seven Class with very different attributes clashed. That's why the Einzbern didn't use chess to teach Illya about strategy.  
  
Illya was taught the traditional way of magus battle. After that, a little about historical great war. And lastly, things that the Einzbern could get on the Magus Killer, Emiya Kiritsugu. After all, that guy technically won the Holy Grail War, the closest thing the Einzbern had to winning the Holy Grail War. And Illya gladly learned about those unconventional tactics because it was her father's.  
  
Illya knew about chess, but she didn't know how to play it. She had no idea about the rules. She didn't know about how the pieces move. She had no idea at all about strategy, or turns, or anything. Chess was just a little footnote on the general knowledge she had.  
  
And she had heard that it was a game where you have to think hard. If she wanted to play, Illya prefer a fighting game like Tekken or racing game like Need For Speed. A game where you had to think three steps ahead was boring. If she wanted to play war, why not Romance of Three Kingdoms?  
  
In fact, when Kurami showed the chessboard, Illya had cold sweat. But she pretended that she knew the game and didn't ask. She put on a strong facade and hid her fear. Illya regretted why she let Kurami determined the game. Next time, she would not be conceited and designed a foolproof game.  
  
She telepathically asked Rider and Lancer, but they also didn't know the rules.  
  
'Now what to do?' Illya thought. She had to improvise and wing it. She deduced from the pieces shape that they fulfilled certain role. Maybe classes of warrior?  
  
The two with horsehead must be Rider. No, judged from the weapon they must be Lancer.Or maybe combination of both?  
  
The two at the corner with shield must be Shielder.Unusual class, but it was a possibility for the Holy Grail War.  
  
The two armed with staff must be Caster. The eight pieces in front were armed with swords, so they must be Saber.  
  
Eight Saber? She couldn't ask for better gift! But the opponent also had the same number.  
  
The woman... Queen? She vaguely remembered that this piece is supposedly the most versatile. But how? Hmmm Illya didn't see Archer anywhere. Perhaps the Queen could be Saber, Lancer, and Archer in one package?  
  
King must be Ruler. It was fitting class.  
  
A simulation of Holy Grail War blossomed in her mind. Two Masters, with sixteen Servants each. Two sides were facing each other in a broad plain.  
  
Then as a magus, Illya knew what to do. She supplied prana to the two Caster and spoke, "Casters! Make a defensive bounded field!"  
  
"Huuh?" Kurami and Fii said in surprise.  
  
The 'Casters' quickly constructed a bounded field that enveloped the white army. It was a dome of light, fully covering the white side area.  
  
"Wait! That's weird! That's not a legal move!" Kurami shouted.  
  
"Lies!" Illya said. "If it is not legal there is no way they can do it." Illya said, totally bluffing. To stop Kurami's protest, she issued the next order as diversion.  
  
"Queen, shoot enemy's queen!"  
  
The white queen produced a bow out of nowhere and and arrow appeared too. She took aim and shot an arrow to the black queen.  
  
**WHITE QUEEN ATTACK. IT'S EFFECTIVE  
  
BLACK QUEEN  
  
HP : 134/ 300.**  
  
A transparent window showed up in front of Illya and Kurami.  
  
"Wha? What the hell is this!" Kurami said in panic. And then she shouted in anger, "Hey, that's my turn, you can't take action yet!"  
  
"You think I'm stupid? Who wait for enemy's turn in war?" Yeah, Illya had participated in Holy Grail War and they don't play nice. This mini-war should be the same.  
  
"Guh! Advance!" Kurami gave order to one of her pawn. The pawn stepped two squares.  
  
Illya laughed inside her mind. One lone Servant was sent without backup?  
  
"Four Sabers at the front! Surround him and kill!" Illya ordered.  
  
**WHITE PAWN4 ATTACK.  
  
WHITE PAWN5 ATTACK.  
  
WHITE PAWN6 ATTACK.  
  
WHITE PAWN7 ATTACK. CRITICAL HIT!  
  
BLACK PAWN5 HP: 0/200**  
  
The lone pawn was quickly surrounded and died.  
  
"Oi, you shouldn't move more than one piece in a turn!" Kurami shouted to Illya. She said it even when Kurami did not plan to follow the rules from the start. She actually plan to take Illya off guard by not obeying the chess rules.  
  
Instead, Illya turned the table by following an entirely different rule, one that Kurami didn't know.  
  
Illya was totally winging it. She didn't know anything about chess. But in this case it was her advantage, because she had no preconception. The magic chess was actually a strategy game where charisma and morale influence the game.  
  
But Illya had made the pieces her familiar. It was the same as total mind control. It also granted certain buff and abilities to them.  
  
"Lancers! Attack! Casters, support fire! Queen, shoot! Sabers, slay all the front ranks, Shielders, guard the king and queen!"  
  
The white army advancing in horde, attacking the black pieces.  
  
Kurami gave orders in panic, but the front ranks already massacred. The white pieces moved with abnormal strength and speed. And the bishop suddenly shot magic beam from a distance!  
  
**WHITE BISHOP1 CAST MAGIC MISSILE  
  
WHITE BISHOP2 CAST HEAL.**  
  
And the white army could recover HP.  
  
Kurami used her trump card, the brainwashing magic, but the white pieces were not influenced at all.  
  
Illya ordered again. "Sabers! Use your Noble Phantasm! Kill enemy's king!" There was unwritten rule that Saber class must have a beam attack. A Saber who didn't have beam attack was not Saber. So, these eight Sabers must have beam attack Noble Phantasm. They should use it first before the enemy use theirs. Or at least that's what Illya believed.  
  
**WHITE PAWN1-8 USED NOBLE PHANTASM  
  
BLACK ROOK1 HP: 32/400  
  
BLACK BISHOP2 HP 0/250  
  
BLACK QUEEN HP: 0/300  
  
BLACK KING HP: 0/350**  
  
The black pieces could only offer feeble resistance. With eight sword slashes with beam attack from white pawns, the black king died.  
  
"Hahaha. I win!" Illya said while bouncing up and down.  
  
"No. No. It's not valid win. You're cheating!" Kurami said in desperation.  
  
"How exactly did I cheat? I noticed you also use magic on the black pieces. And your pieces also move more than one in a turn. It's how the game supposed to be or your chessboard is faulty."  
  
"Ugggh..." Kurami gritted her teeth.  
  
"Kurami..." Fii looked at her friend. "Cheer up. The new queen really can do magic. I observed the flow of magic from her to the chess pieces."  
  
Kurami looked down while thinking. This information changed things.  
  
"Well, now you will answer everything my Servant will ask you about the elves." Illya said. She cut her connection to the chess pieces. "This style of magic is interesting. I will have you teach me elf-style magic later."  


===break===

  
**Ding! You have won against Kurami Zell and Fiel Nirvalen. You have gained 1000 EXP.  
  
You have gained intel on Elven Gard.  
  
You have learned elf magic  
  
You have learned the basic of [Oracle Cards] game.  
  
[Oracle Cards]**  
  
A game popular among the Elves, where twenty-two magical cards are used for combat purposes. It is also a dangerous game used to settle disputes. Created by the seventh most powerful among the 「Exceed」, and the most adept with magic, the elves.  
  
Both participants have the same twenty-two cards, and every turn two are drawn to form a combination. Combinations not only consist of raw power, but also possess different affinities, and the losing party will suffer an 「Attack」of power corresponding with the ability of the combination used.  
  
And those attacks can only be blocked by the magic of the player.  
  
Used cards will be dumped into the graveyard, and after eleven rounds – meaning after all the cards are used, both parties will be given the option of surrendering or continuing the game. If the option to continue is selected, both players will be given another twenty-two cards and restart the duel – as long as one party is unable to continue the game, then victory will be decided.  
  
There are a total of two hundred and thirty-one combinations –predicting and countering each one of them would be an impossible feat.  
  
Hence the key to victory would be 「Dodging attacks.」 This was also a test used to gauge the standards of aspiring Elven mages.  
  
No doubt about it, in this game, victory is decided by the skill of one's magic. The amount of spells that one can cast simultaneously – also represents the strength of one's magic and the times one has used it.  


===break===

  
Fii stared at the little girl in front of her.  
  
After they finished the chess game, Illyasviel brought them to Saber and she interrogated them about the Elven Gard. In the middle of it, the new queen Illyasviel pulled Fii to the side and told her to teach her elf magic.  
  
Fii had to obey because it was included in the wager. "Provide information about the elves." This apparently also included the magic that the elves used.  
  
The white haired little girl instantly mastered everything that Fii showed her. And then she taught her the [Oracle Card] game, the popular game in the Elf country.  
  
Illyasviel didn't care to memorize the combination. She bulldozed her way through with magic. Fii had lost three times against her. Illyasviel used the defensive shield magic that Fii had just taught her flawlessly.  
  
"This is the standard game that the Elves play? That's it?" Illya said with a disappointed voice. She looked thoughtful and stared at nothing. "Hmmm... hmmmm..." And then she turned to the woman she called Caster.  
  
"Caster. Are you thinking what I am thinking?" Illya said to her.  
  
The woman in dark blue robe didn't say anything, but she made a few gestures. Instantly, her hair changed color into gold blonde. She smirked. "You want me to go there and take everything? The only problem is that I can't swear the oath." Caster said.  
  
What? Couldn't say the oath?  
  
"That's okay. I will lend you to Kurami and Fii here, and they will be the one to swear the oath. As long as they made sure to include you in their game, you can legitimately participate."  
  
Illyasviel wanted Caster to go to Elven Gard and disguised herself as an elf. She would win game after game, hoarding wealth and influence.  
  
Fii was intrigued,this could be a way to change Kurami's fate. She was a little surprised that Illyasviel took their cooperation for granted. Yeah, she and Kurami most likely agreed, but she wanted to make sure of something first. "Umm?" She raised her hand. "How strong is she? No offense, but the elves had a lot of strong magician."  
  
Actually Fii was one of the strongest magician among the elves. She was a [Hex Caster], able to simultaneously cast six different spell. The [Quadruple Caster] was already considered top rank among the elves.  
  
But Illyasviel still defeated Fii easily. Now, how strong was Caster compared to Illyasviel? As far as Fii knew, the woman was not an elf, despite the pointy ear.  
  
Caster smiled at Fii and took a seat, replacing Illya. "Well, you just had to test me yourselves."  


====00====

  
**AN**  
  
A Saber who can not shoot beam attack is not Saber.  
  
It was proven by majority vote by the Sabers in Fate/GUDAGUDA Order Drama CD 1  
  
youtube[dot]com watch?v=hMkHs3J_iiI


	7. Slough off the cicada's golden shell , Stomp the grass to scare the snake

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fate or No Game No Life.**  
  
For Materialization Word Chain, it's best if you read the novel or watch the anime to understand what kind of game they play.  


**=========00==========**

  
**Slough off the cicada's golden shell , Stomp the grass to scare the snake**  
  
Sella and Leysritt fell down on a plain. It was a short fall, so there was no injury.  
  
They didn't know where they were or why they're here. The last thing they remembered... eh?  
  
They remembered dying in more than one way. But they also remembered living and enjoying lives in Fuyuki. The last thing in memory was assisting their mistress in organizing a game... Illya's Castle.  
  
Luckily, there was a town not far from where they got stranded. The two Einzbern homunculus set out for the town.  
  
They arrived and watched the crowd gathering in one spot, the largest building that looked like a palace. They asked around and found out that it was a tournament to choose the new king.  
  
With nothing else to do, and lack of information about their mistress, the two maids went to spectate the tournament.  
  
Surprisingly they found their wayward mistress relatively quick. The Einzbern princess was in the middle of a match, the final round of the tournament.  
  
"Come Leysritt, our mistress have got a new castle." Sella said to her companion after they watched Lady Illyasviel defeated her opponent elegantly. "It's up to us to ensure that it is suitable for our Mistress."  
  
"Yes, Sella." Leysritt said, following Sella who walked to approach Illya.  


======break======

  
The morning weather was good, the sky was clear, and the breeze that blew in the city was cool.  
  
In the throne room of Elchea Kingdom, as usual, the Ministers gathered for the daily morning assembly. But when the diminutive new queen arrived, she didn't sit on the throne.  
  
In front of the shocked Ministers, the white haired queen sat on a small cushy armchair next to the throne. And then, a teenage girl dressed in dark blue clothes and veil that covered her face entered the room. The girl sat on the throne without hesitation.  
  
The blonde woman known as Saber stood next to Illyasviel as if everything was alright. The other people who were Illyasviel's companions were standing at the right and left side of the room, near the wall as usual.  
  
And then an elf entered the room. She was clearly, obviously, an elf. With pointy ears and bright complexion, and gem on her forehead, she strolled across the room and sat on a chair. The chair was somehow already placed next to the throne, on the opposite side of Illyasviel. Only, it was set a little backward so that it was placed 'behind' the throne.  
  
The Ministers knew the rumors. The teenage girl was Kurami Zell, the one who brought an elf to challenge the queen for the right to rule Elchea. The incident just happened yesterday, and they hadn't heard about the result. The old official who acted as referee was suspiciously tight-lipped about it.  
  
So, what's the meaning of the seating arrangement?  
  
Saber said in loud and clear voice, "Ministers, begin the morning assembly. First, Agriculture Minister, report."  
  
The Ministers put aside their questions and fell to the routine of the governmental affairs. And Saber as usual gave commands to address the problems which appeared after they implemented the new policy.  
  
It's just that, before Saber gave order, she asked Illyasviel approval, as usual. That was normal.  
  
The abnormal thing was, the elf whispered something to Kurami, and then Kurami whispered something to Illyasviel, and only after that Illyasviel said something to Saber in a foreign language. And only after the whole whispering thing Saber gave her orders.  
  
This whole situation seemed to imply that the elf was the true ruler, Kurami was the true queen, and Illyasviel plus Saber were under Kurami's rule. What else the chain of command meant? What else was the meaning of Kurami sitting on the throne?  
  
The Ministers didn't know who the real king of Elchea. They still obeyed the orders, because the oaths compelled them to obey the king. Which meant that the king was one of the four individuals at the front. Still, there was no way of knowing who was the real king. It could even be Saber.  
  
The Ministers left the assembly with uneasy feeling. Could it be, that Elchea had fallen to the Elves' control?  


=====break=====

  
There was a Flugel named Jibril who took residence in Elchea National Library. She won the place from the previous king after they played a game. She was actually a refugee who escaped from the Flugel Country, Avant Heim, because she was against their policy.  
  
Throwing away books? She would never obey that policy!  
  
Anyway, the library had been modified from a primitive one to an advanced hi-tech one with her abilities. She spent her days in idyllic state, without caring about the outside world. She still took notes about the events outside just for information, but there was no interest beyond that.  
  
For example, she knew there was a new queen in Elchea. And the fact that she was quite reckless, offering to surrender. Not that she was interested in that.  
  
Her daily lives of peaceful reading was interrupted by a visitor.  
  
It was two women dressed in white uniform, similar to a servant or a maid. One of them carried a weapon. A halberd with curious design. They were escorted by a man with short blue hair with a roguish looks.  
  
"Hello visitors." Jibril greeted them. "May I ask the purpose of your visit?"  
  
The woman who carried a halberd stayed silent. The other woman stepped forward and unrolled a scroll. "My name is Sella, and I am recently appointed as tax collection officer. This one is Leysritt, my assistant. And the one behind me is Lancer, our bodyguard. "  
  
Sella continued, "It has come to our attention that this building hasn't paid tax for the last five years."  
  
"Eh? Tax?" Jibril said in confusion.  
  
"According to the law, specifically Land and Property Tax Law of Elchea Kingdom Number 21 year 6237, a land and building shall be levied a tax, amounting 10% of its value. If its owner hadn't paid tax for more than three years, the tax shall be increased to 25%."  
  
Jibril's brain quickly noticed. "Wait a minute! That law is legalized this year? It can't be under the previous king, so it should be made by the new queen!" There was never any tax on property in Elchea before. Actually, it was a rarity in Disboard.  
  
"Correct." Sella said with impassive tone. "It was legalized two days ago. It doesn't matter, because the law specifically stated that it is retroactive. You are the owner of this building, correct? That means you owe the Elchea government five years worth of tax." Sella quickly calculated the amount and showed it to Jibril.  
  
"But...but!" Jibril protested. "I won this building from the king himself!"  
  
"That's correct." Sella said. "Miss Jibril, right? You won the game with this building and land as a wager. The ownership of this property was transferred from the country to you. But." Sella emphasized. "Was it stated anywhere that the building will be tax-free?"  
  
Jibril was speechless. There was nothing like that on the terms... but! But!  
  
"Previously the building was a government's property, so it was exempted from tax. Now that the owner has changed, it shall be taxed as normal." Sella dutifully explained.  
  
"Wait! That's weird!" Jibril tried to reason. "There's no way people can pay the tax! 10% of the value? With this kind of economic climate?" What Jibril didn't say, 'is the new queen a tyrant that oppress her people?'  
  
"No problem." Leysritt who was quiet all this time suddenly said. "All obeyed. All free."  
  
Sella explained more. "There is a way to get an exemption from the tax. If you swear on the ten oaths to unconditionally obey the king, you don't need to pay."  
  
Of course, since majority of the Elchean people already swore, they were exempted. But Jibril was not a citizen of Elchea. That's it! She was not a citizen!  
  
"I am not Elchea citizen, so the law doesn't apply to me!" Jibril declared.  
  
However, Sella was not impressed. "Hou? Not a citizen?"  
  
Seeing that smile, Jibril felt that she had done a blunder.  
  
"According to the aforementioned law, article 32, a foreign nationals owning a property in Elchea shall pay 35%" Sella read from the scroll. She was not finished.  
  
"Any foreigners entering the country should report to the immigration office. If you stay more than thirty days you should make a resident permit. A visa. Do you have one? If you don't have one you shall be fined, equalling the amount of time you illegally stayed in this country."  
  
"Since when there's a rule like that!" Jibril shouted.  
  
"Effective immediately since yesterday. It is retroactive." Sella smoothly answered.  
  
Jibril got a feeling that the laws were oddly specific. It was as if someone was targeting her.  
  
"And your statement about not being citizen is irrelevant. A foreigners shall also pay tax. The tax is to the building, not the person." Sella mercilessly continued. "And also, books have been designated as luxury goods. They're also taxed."  
  
"You're purposefully targeting me! Me and my books! My life!" Jibril hysterically shouted.  
  
"You misundertand, Miss Jibril." Sella said, unfazed by the shouting. "Law is applied for all citizens and all people. It doesn't discriminate. As a proof, you can survey all of Elchea and search for anyone who own books. They can be counted by both hands. It is a fact that books are rare and valuable.'  
  
"Then... these people also pay book tax?" Jibril asked. Maybe, just maybe, if there were people with the same situation, she wouldn't feel so bad about it.  
  
"No. Exempt. They obey." Leysritt said. Yep, there was also a clause to exempt people from paying book tax.  
  
"Ah... yes, they fell under exemption clause. You can choose to swear the oath too, if you wished." After waiting for a moment and she was sure Jibril didn't want to choose that option, she continued, "Now tell me how many books you have and I will calculate how much tax you owe. Adding the building tax and the immigration fine, and you can pay us. We receive cash, bank transfer, or other valuable items." Sella said the horrifying thing with merry voice.  
  
Jibril was in panic. She didn't have any Elchea currency. There was no need for her to own it. She didn't need to buy anything in Elchea. She had no need to eat or to buy human clothes. Actually she didn't have much Avant Heim currency too. And the amount she needed to pay was quite large. No, it was astronomical.  
  
"What if... I can't pay?" Jibril timidly asked.  
  
Sella said in faux cheery voice. "Why, that's not a problem! You can give us valuable assets that you have. For example, some of your books. Or part of the building."  
  
In another world, it would be phrased as, "you can't pay, so we will confiscate your things." But in Disboard, it was doubtful if the government could forcefully confiscate properties and evict people from their homes.  
  
The important thing was consent.  
  
As long as the people agreed to the law and obeyed it, they will subconsciously consented to the law enforcement. Theoretically, government could impose a fine to a citizen and forcefully took the money from citizen.  
  
Practically though, it was troublesome. And also, Jibril was not a citizen. She might resist.  
  
"And if I don't agree? If I don't want to follow your law?" Jibril said  
  
"Tax evader." Leysritt said  
  
"We will spread your name far and wide." Sella said, spreading her arms dramatically. "Jibril of the Heavenly Wings, tax evader, lawbreaker, white collar criminal, swindler extraordinaire..."  
  
Jibril wanted to protest. That last titles didn't even related to her actions. "Wait! Now that I think of it, this building should be regarded as Flugel's territory! Your law didn't apply here!"  
  
"Ara?" Sella smirked. "You wanted to say that this building should have extraterritorial status? You understand that only official embassy of other countries can be granted that status. We will inquire to Avant Heim whether a Flugel named Jibril is official ambassador and whether this library the official embassy of Avant Heim."  
  
_'It's okay Jibril. They're bluffing. No Imanity could fly to floating island Avant Heim.'_  
  
"There's an elf in the palace. I shall ask her to deliver a letter to Avant Heim. And if it turned out that you lie, and this building is not official embassy of Avant Heim. Well... I will spread the news that you are a liar, mother of deception, princess of deceit, poison tongued angel..." Sella said.  
  
"Untrustworthy. Betrayer of truth. Truth-forsaken." Leysritt added.  
  
The ominous sounding titles which became more and more absurd finally broke Jibril's resolve.  
  
"Wait! Fine! Fine, okay! This is not an embassy... just my private residence."  
  
Sella smiled and said, "then you must pay the tax and fine."  
  
"No, I challenge you to a game, we will settle this with a game!" Jibril shouted.  
  
"Fine. I accept. Let me clarify the term. If I win, you shall pay the tax and fine however you can. If you win, I will personally overlook your case." Sella said.  
  
"Deal. What game will we play?" Jibril asked.  
  
"How about the same game you played against the previous king? I am curious about that." Sella said.  
  
And so, Sella played [ **Materialization Word Chain** ] against Jibril. The game was witnessed by Leysritt and Lancer as spectator. The result: Sella's loss.  
  
"Now, as promised, you must let me off!" Jibril said to Sella.  
  
"Of course. As stated before, I will personally overlook this case." Sella said without care.  
  
When Jibril thought she was already safe, Leysritt said. "I am here. I don't agree to overlook. I will spread rumors. Challenge me."  
  
Jibril realized her mistake. Sella only promised to [personally] overlook it. That meant the promise only applied to Sella alone.  
  
So, Jibril played another game with Leysritt. Same game, same term. If Leysritt won, Jibril must pay the tax and fine. If Leysritt lost, she would personally overlook Jibril's tax.  
  
The game result: Leysritt's loss.  
  
After the two long and exhausting game, the tax collection officers went home. Jibril thought it was finally over.  
  
Then she realized. The man, Lancer, witnessed everything. And he didn't promise anything. That meant the story would spread, regardless of Sella and Leysritt keeping it secret.  
  
And the next day, a teenage girl with dark blue clothes and veil that covered her face visited the library.  
  
"My name is Kurami Zell. I am acting as Elchea Kingdom representative to collect tax from the lawless tax evader, Flugel Truth-forsaken."  
  
"That's not my name!" Jibril shouted.  
  
"I challenge you to a game. If you win against the person here." Kurami pointed to a woman dressed in dark purple robe and cowl. "If you win against this person, Caster, then I will tell Caster not to spread rumors about you."  
  
Jibril then played the game with the same terms as before. The result: Caster's loss.  
  
But Kurami didn't stop. Caster left the library, replaced by another person called Archer. And Kurami challenged Jibril again. "If you win, I will tell Archer not to spread rumors about you not paying tax."  
  
Archer lost. But at this point, Jibril wondered what was the true purpose of these games. And Jibril also noticed that these people who challenged her since yesterday had uncommon knowledge. It was obvious after Archer summoned a pocket dimension called Unlimited Blade Works. Who the hell were these people?  
  
After Archer, next came a woman named Saber. It was another interesting game, but Jibril won again.  
  
Next, Kurami herself challenged her with a wager that if Jibril won, Kurami would overlook Jibril's case.  
  
Well, Kurami lost, and after that she went back to the palace.  
  
But still, Jibril couldn't shake uneasy feeling that it wasn't the end.  
  
The next day, Illyasviel von Einzbern, the queen of Elchea herself, visited the library to ask Jibril to pay tax. She was accompanied by a purple-haired woman in blindfold.  
  
"I challenge you for a game. If you don't accept I will tell Saber, Archer, and Caster to spread rumors about a Flugel evading tax like a white collar swindler!" The queen said something outrageous.  
  
"Hey! Those three person already lost against me! How can they still spread rumors?" Jibril vehemently protested.  
  
"Haa? Kurami only promised to tell them not to spread rumors. They obey or not is another matter entirely. Stuuuupiiiiid!" Illyasviel said while putting her tongue out in taunt.  
  
"Uuuu. I refuse. There's no end to this. It's not a wager of equal value, so I don't want to play." Jibril said.  
  
"Then I will put a good wager. Why don't you appraise it and tell me it's value." Illyasviel said.  
  
"What is it?" Jibril cautiously asked. There were many mysterious things that those people summoned previously. Mysterious and interesting things, such as a sword called Excalibur, a golden man called Gilgamesh, a black corruption called Angra Mainyu, gigantic dog named Primate Murder, and many more.  
  
Well, there were times where even Jibril thought that she would die. Fortunately, her opponents always died first. It was useless if you yourself couldn't survive what you summoned. Or if the creatures you summoned didn't obey you and kill you first.  
  
Still, her curiosity was gnawing at her. Jibril couldn't help but think, if Illyasviel offered the information about those strange and unknown things...  
  
Jibril might be tempted to offer her whole existence in exchange for the unknown.  
  
' _Not good, not good Jibril. Be careful, this little imanity prepares a trap. You must not be swayed.'_ Jibril thought to herself.  
  
The white haired and red-eyed little queen widely smiled and dramatically gestured with her hands. "So, Jibril, seeker of knowledge. Have you ever heard of Akashic Records, also known as The Root, The Spiral of Origin, The archives where All Knowledge in the World stored, whether it was from past, present, future; where everything originate from and return to?"  
  
Jibril's saliva touched the floor.  


=======00=======

  
**AN**  
  
I will leave it to your imagination about what happened in five games off screen with the clues given.  
  
Next will be the real game against Jibril.


	8. There are more things in Nasuverse, Jibril, than what can be read of your library

**For the word chain, I will use mainly use english as the Imanity's language. Don't expect me to construct a whole new language. lllya can use another language, Japanese and German.**  


**=========00=========**

  
**There are more things in Nasuverse, Jibril, than what can be read of your library.**  
  
"Rejected."  
  
That's what Saber said after hearing about Illya's latest plan of sending Caster to the unsuspecting elves.  
  
"Illyasviel, that plan will fail. We may be able to get one or two provinces and some wealth, but that's it." Saber further explained.  
  
"But why?" Illya said in protest. "Caster can win against any elves. I am sure of that."  
  
"Yes, she is strong." Saber nodded to Caster. "And that's exactly the problem. If the other elves see how strong she is, there will be noone who is willing to accept her challenges after she defeated many elves. We may be able to take one province by surprise, but there is nothing after that."  
  
"Now that I think about it, I agree." Caster said. "I suppose I became reckless when I see how weak they are."  
  
Fii looked offended when Caster said that the elves, the seventh rank Exceed, were weaklings. But she didn't say anything, aware of how strong Caster was.  
  
"Also, you just met these girls twice. There is no guarantee about their trustworthiness." Saber said again.  
  
"Ooh." Illya said, deflated. Her brilliant plan was shot down and the supposed new allies were in doubt. She needed to rectify the situation!  
  
"Alright, Fii and Kurami, we will play rock paper scissors, you will lose, and you will obey all my orders! Then everything will be alright!" Illya cheerfully said. Those two were not playing on the coronation day.  
  
"It's not alright!" Kurami strongly retorted.  
  
"Berserker, Caster. Make sure our guests are feeling comfortable so they don't want to leave." Illya commanded.  
  
Caster quickly constructed a magical barrier that block every exit. Berserker physically guarded the door. The two girls were trapped inside the room.  
  
"If you want to leave then you have to play the game. Or you can stay here forever, without food, drink, ... and toilet." Illya said. This was the same tactics the robbers used.  
  
Kurami and Fii were horrified by the prospect of no toilet. They tried to break free for a while, but it was in vain. Finally, Kurami said, "I give up, I give up. But please at least make me a partner! Or collaborator!"  
  
Saber then formulated the wager. The two girls became collaborators who would work with Illya. They wouldn't obey her every words, but they couldn't betray her cause. They would work hard to aid Illya's purpose.  
  
Of course, Illya's purpose was a surprise.  
  
"Challenging Tet the supreme god?" Kurami screamed. She strongly regretted her previous decision.  
  
"Yes, that guy told me I need to do it. Otherwise I can't go home." Illya said. "And to do that I need to fulfill certain conditions."  
  
There were sixteen intelligent races. And now Illya learned real chess, she noticed that there were sixteen chess pieces. And also,...  
  
Illya opened her palm and presented it for everyone to see. "I received this on the coronation day." A crytalline transparent chess piece which emitted bright light appeared on her palm. It was a king piece.  
  
"I felt it entered me but I didn't know what it is. It is hard to make it materialized like this, I guess it only normally appears in special occasion." Illya said.  
  
"The race piece." Kurami said in awe, her eyes were transfixed to the object. "It only appears when the race representative bet the whole race. The right of living, the protection of ten oaths, the land, everything." She said in whisper.  
  
The race piece returned to Illya and disappeared from sight. "I guess I need to collect sixteen race pieces to challenge him"  
  
However, there was a problem about that. Illya would go home sooner or later. It would be irresponsible if she took all sixteen race pieces home.  
  
Illya would use the same tactics as usual then. Ruling by proxy. As long as the other race king/ queen /ruler unconditionally obeyed her, that was the same as gaining the race piece.  
  
"From another world?" This time it was Fii who shrieked. "Impossible. The energy to transport and maintain a person in Disboard is... even Old Deus will be hard pressed. Maybe if it was the supreme god, Tet..."  
  
"Yes, didn't you hear me?" Illya impatiently said. "That guy is the one who brought me here."  
  
"Now that Kurami and Fii knew our purpose." Saber said to everyone. "Here's what we will do about the elves..."  
  
=====break=====  
  
**You have gained allies! Kurami Zell and Fiel Nirvalen have been added to the party! The NPC units will follow your instruction.**  
  
**Kurami Zell has been installed as Special Staff of Prime Minister Office**  
  
**Fier Nirvalen has been installed as Expert Staff of Prime Minister Office.**  
  
**Stephanie Dora has been promoted to Chief of Staff of Prime Minister Office.**  


======break======

  
Illya and her Servants worked hard to improve the Imanity country and prepare for eventual conflict with other countries. Laws are being made, money was invested in new industries, methods of farming were revolutionized, and so on. Modern technology was being introduced gradually.  
  
Correction, those were Servant's doing. Illya didn't do anything like that.  
  
It's not like she was lazing around. She was learning how to read Imanity language and transmuting metal scraps to gold. The gold transmutation was especially important.  
  
Stephanie Dora, the princess who hailed from the lineage of the Founder Queen herself, was promoted to Chief of Staff. She proved herself capable in handling governmental affairs, doing paperwork, and managing the nobles. In her spare time, she taught Illya and the Servants how to read.  
  
Kurami and Fii also helped. They mainly became the springboard for ideas and plan that Saber thought. Saber who was not familiar with the situation in Disboard need someone who knew if her ideas could work. Other Servants also gave their ideas.  
  
It was in such discussion between them that Illya barged in, shouting in excited voice. "Laputa! I saw Laputa just now!"  
  
It turned out that Avant Heim had just passed overhead. It was a Phantasma, in a form of gigantic floating island. Also the home of Heavenly Winged [Flugel]. The discussion shifted to Flugel and their plan for the sixth ranking Exceed.  
  
"I wish we can have them, at least as allies. The race who gathered knowledge for six thousand years will be very helpful." Archer said.  
  
"But flying there is out of question." Rider said. "It will reveal our hands early."  
  
The biggest secret and advantage their camp have was magic. Other countries still didn't know about that. Illya only used alchemy to transmute gold so far and it could be hidden by simple gag order to the Ministers and other related people.  
  
Flying though, would reveal their capabilities to the world.  
  
"Hmm. Then maybe have Fii contact them..." Saber murmured. And then someone interrupted her.  
  
"Err. Excuse me. If you want to meet a Flugel, there is one here." Stephanie said timidly.  
  
"""Eeehh?"""  
  
Kurami looked like she realized something. "Ah, I remembered. There is a rumor about that, but I didn't confirm it so it slipped my mind. So it's true?"  
  
And so Stephanie had the unpleasant duty to tell about the previous king's bet against a Flugel. The Flugel suddenly showed up five years ago and won the national library.  
  
Saber massaged her own temple. "I have some suspicion on the scarcity of books... but I thought it was just the level of civilization and lack of printing machine... but you actually bet your own source of knowledge!?"  
  
Stephanie wanted to deny the accusation, it was her grandfather who did that, not her. But she wisely stayed silent. She also didn't think that her grandfather's plan was bad. It was just unfortunate that he lost.  
  
"Well then." Lancer asked Stephanie. "What's the name of this Flugel?"  
  
"Eeeh? Err. I-I don't know. She didn't say." Stephanie said.  
  
Caster asked her. "You said that Flugel traditionally only play one game, Materialization Word Chain. Did you witness it? Or do you know about it?"  
  
"N-no. Only grandfather was present. And we have never play against Flugel aside from that one time." Stephanie said.  
  
"What an idiot." Illya said. "Fighting an enemy without any information about the game." Let's ignore that she did exactly the same thing before.  
  
"Maybe we should read the previous king's notes again." Archer said. "Maybe he wrote something about that."  
  
And so they investigated everything about the Flugel that resided in National Library.  
  
Her name was Jibril. At least, that's what her newspaper subscription recorded.  
  
The previous king wrote something about the game. But the description was too vague. They needed to see it themselves.  
  
Fii supplied more information about the Flugel. Apparently she was a famous one, the one who destroyed Elven Capital 7000 years ago. And also stealing all Elves' magical book at one time.  
  
"Uwaaah. Scary. An anti-city Noble Phantasm?" Illya commented.  
  
Archer was more concerned about something else. "She is stronger than us Servants. Magically and physically. We may be able to defeat her by surprise or by employing Noble Phantasm right off the bat, if we are fighting normally. But I think it's difficult to defeat her in a straight game."  
  
"Then we have to defeat her in her own game." Rider said. "I think we have a chance to win. That game favored the one who have more knowledge and who is more durable."  
  
"Shame that Berserker can't speak." Illya said.  
  
"Let's gather more information first." Saber said. "We will send a scouting party. First we will make a special law..."  
  
And so they managed to send the scouting party and force the Flugel to play the game. Lancer witness the game, and Illya also watch it through their links. She then sent the image to the other Servants.  
  
"Aaah. The connection cut off." Lancer died when Sella summoned Primate Murder.  
  
"Lesson for us. Don't summon Primate Murder because it can't be controlled and kill our sides first." Saber said.  
  
"We need to make that Flugel stay on the ground. If she can always fly, our side would be killed first." Caster said.  
  
Lancer connection with Illya came back. And then Leysritt played the game.  
  
"Liz summon Berserker!" Illya said excitedly. But the summoned Berserker quickly dispersed into prana. It had no contract to sustain his existence.  
  
"Summoning a Servant is not good then. Even if the Servant have contract, the Master - Servant contract means that the Servant will be treated as Master's limb. And because of the Ten Oaths, the Servant can't do anything to the Flugel." Saber said.  
  
"Let's test that line of thought." Illya told Lancer to speak to Leysritt, instructing her to summon a contracted Servant. Leysritt summoned Assassin and yes, the Assassin couldn't do a thing to Jibril.  
  
In the end, Leysritt summoned a dinosaur-annihilating-sized meteor. Right to the place where the players sat.  
  
"That fake angel survived that point blank meteor? Unbelievable!" Illya said in amazement.  
  
"Let's write down our observation about the game. There are more things I want to test tomorrow." Saber said.  
  
The next day, they kept sending Servants and watched the game through the Master - Servant connection.  
  
First, they made Jibril couldn't fly by eliminating Spirit Circuits. (They learned about it from Fii)  
  
Caster summoned Rule Breaker. But it was useless because unless Jibril consented, Caster couldn't stab her with it.  
  
Later on Caster tested Rule Breaker on willing test subjects such as Stephanie or Kurami. (She couldn't experiment with Servants because that will nullify their contracts with Illya ) The result: Rule Breaker couldn't break the wager sworn under Ten Oaths. The compulsion was too strong, it was not ordinary magecraft. It was a magic that could even alter reality and rewrite memories.  
  
Rule Breaker couldn't nullify anything agreed under Ten Oaths. The power of the pledge covered the whole planet, it was literally a natural law of this world. Even if Rule Breaker somehow broke the wager sworn under the Oaths, a moment later the force of the world would restore it anew.  
  
Anyway, Caster summoned her pet dragon, the one she cared for in her human life.  
  
The Flugel slayed the dragon effortlessly.  
  
And on and on, Caster summoned dangerous things one after another, but the Flugel didn't die. Kraken, Hydra, Nemean Lion, and others. Those legendary monsters failed to even hurt Jibril.  
  
Finally, Caster summoned Angra Mainyu in the form of corrupted Holy Grail bearing all curses. Unfortunately Caster was swallowed first in the black mud before Jibril. Unable to continue, she lost the game.  
  
"Damn damn damn!" Caster ranted after she went back to the palace. "I almost had her. I am sure if she got swallowed by Angra Mainyu she will be defeated for certain! "  
  
"Lesson of the day." Rider said. "Don't use a weapon you can't control. At least now we got accurate estimation of her physical prowess."  
  
"Ssshh. Archer is starting." Illya said.  
  
After eliminating Spirit Circuits, Archer summoned Unlimited Blade Works. He hoped that by overwriting the world, he could bypass the Ten Oaths. It didn't work.  
  
"Maybe because I am still here and not inside the reality marble?" Illya said. Because the Servants were treated as Illya's body parts, any compulsion to Illya would also extended to the Servants.  
  
Still, even if Archer could attack Jibril, it was doubtful if he could win. The whole thing was just an experiment.  
  
Archer couldn't use the swords in UBW to attack Jibril. They're now just overly lavished decoration.  
  
"That Flugel looked like she is drooling. She displayed face like that several times before, when we showed things not exist in this world." Rider said.  
  
"Hmm. Flugels are collectors of knowledge. Maybe we can use this." Saber said.  
  
Archer summoned Ea, but he couldn't use it against Jibril. The Ten Oaths prevented him. Also, he couldn't comprehend the sword.  
  
Still. He bided his time. And when another "e" came up, he said "Enuma Elish" and made the alien sword unleash its ultimate attack.  
  
The attack indiscriminately destroy everything. But somehow, Jibril managed to prolong her life and Archer died first.  
  
"An attack that shaved off a part of the planet surface and she survived? What the hell is she?" Illya said with disbelief.  
  
"They said it was a weapon to kill gods. Now I see how she could be called that. Well, my turn." Saber stood up and went out of the room.  
  
Illya watched as Saber challenged Jibril. She first said the word " **Gae Bolg** ".  
  
"Eeh? What is she doing? " Lancer said.  
  
Saber was testing the spear. She confirmed that she couldn't use it as its owner. She also couldn't activate its special power. It confirmed that while one could summon a Noble Phantasm belonging to someone else, the Noble Phantasm didn't automatically obey the summoner.  
  
Ea was activated through the game mechanism. And by making the attack indiscriminate, its nature changed to something akin to natural disaster and bypass the Ten Oaths. However, Saber couldn't use Gae Bolg in the same way. Firstly, a word that already used couldn't be used again. The activation word for Gae Bolg was the same as its name. Secondly, she couldn't attack Jibril, because that would mean acting against the Ten Oaths. The spear was only Anti-Personnel class and couldn't indiscriminately attack everything.  
  
Now let's test something else. When an "i" came up, she said "Ionian Hetaroi."  
  
The world changed into a vast desert. The plain of infinite sandy desert and blue sky replaced the previous place. On the horizon, an army of knights and soldiers showed themselves. At its front, a guy with large stature riding a horse galloping to the players location.  
  
"Yo! Isn't it Saber! Fancy meeting you here. I suppose you know the strange circumstances we have here? I got summoned suddenly inside my reality marble, and I sense no Master." Alexander the King of Conqueror said to Saber.  
  
"Nice to meet you, Rider. Indeed it is my doing. I summon you to defeat this person." Saber pointed at Jibril.  
  
"Hmm interesting person with wings you have there." Rider appreciated Jibril. "But what made you think I will do what you want?" He grinned.  
  
"Think of it as a favor for an old friend." Saber said. "Besides, you know what, I don't expect much from you anyway." Saber smugly smiled, challenging Iskandar. "This person is stronger than me. I doubt you can even hurt one of her feathers."  
  
"Hooo?" Iskandar's curiosity was lit. "You talk big! Indeed I have no entertainment recently, and since I am already here with my army, I will grant your request. Hahahaha!"  
  
Saber bowed to Iskandar. "I am grateful." And then she immediately ran to the rear of the army.  
  
"My Army! It's time for battle! Charge!" Iskandar led his army to attack Jibril.  
  
Jibril was surprised. She was genuinely attacked, their arrows and swords touched her body and tried to inflict harm. It was a sensation she hadn't felt for six thousand years. Before, she thought Saber was only joking with the big guy with the red hair.  
  
Saber observed the situation. So, a Servant without Master was not restrained by Ten Oaths. And since Saber summoned the reality marble rather than Iskandar himself, the Servants Army could exist indefinitely, or at least longer than normal summoning.  
  
But the fact that they were not obeying the Ten Oaths meant that they were not protected by it. Jibril began to slaughter the army. And she did it while continuing the word chain.  
  
Saber also kept playing while observing. And then she said, "Gilgamesh."  
  
A Servant dressed in golden armor appeared. This was the Gilgamesh who was reincarnated after being drowned by black mud in the end of the 4th war. Saber imagined this version because he would have capabilities to remain long without a Master.  
  
"What? Where is... no, I know this place. Why I am here?" Gilgamesh looked around with confusion.  
  
There was no time. Saber loathed this method, but for the sake of victory... and also this person would not remain after this. "Gilgamesh." She called him.  
  
"Saber? That is you?"  
  
"Yes, I am. I called you here to tell you." Saber took a deep breath and steeled her heart. "I am willing to be your bride, for one condition." She pointed at Jibril who was busy slaughtering Iskandar's Army.  
  
"Kill that person for me. And then I am yours. "  
  
Gilgamesh briefly considered it. He thought, why should I do it, Saber was as good as his, he just needed to decide when to take her. And his memory was fuzzy. He didn't remember how he got here or the result of the Holy Grail War. Suspicious.  
  
Still, as a king, it's not bad to sometimes grant a favor. It was a traditional way for the male to give a wedding present to the bride. It was easy to kill that creature with wings. After that, well, he could always took Saber by force if she lied.  
  
Gilgamesh smiled. "Well. Of course, my bride. It's just a simple matter. You can wait and prepare for the wedding while I took its head." He leisurely strolled to the direction of the battle.  
  
Saber ran off with all her power to opposite side.  


**=====break=====**

  
Jibril looked at the crater where she had just unleashed her ultimate strike. She panted hard, her clothes ripped, her body was full of injuries and blood.  
  
The golden man was killed before he could do something with a red sword. Jibril recognized the sword. It was the same sword that Archer used in his final attack in the previous game. When the golden man took it out, she knew she had to kill him immediately.  
  
She didn't want to receive that attack the second time. The first time she survived because of lucky fluke.  
  
Fighting against the army and the golden man at the same time while playing the game was very difficult. She almost missed the 30 seconds limit several time.  
  
Because she couldn't fly and increase her distance, her own attacks also did some damage to her body.  
  
She glanced at Saber who was standing far away. How did she hear what Jibril said from that distance?  
  
Actually Saber said "bug" and "receiver" before. The tiny microphone was placed on Jibril's body without her noticing, and Saber placed the receiver on her earhole.  
  
Jibril could hear what Saber said relying on her superior senses. Saber said a new word. "Volcano"  
  
Their surrounding changed into the inside of active Volcano. Jibril was falling to a lava below. Saber cleverly positioned herself at the edge.  
  
Still, even when she was submerged in lava, Jibril was just a little inconvenienced. She continued the game while floating in the lava.  
  
"Ocean." The place changed into middle of the sea. Saber stood on top of water while Jibril floated inside the sea.  
  
Saber: "Necktie."  
  
Jibril: "Eel."  
  
Saber: "Leech."  
  
Jibril: "Hill"  
  
Other than the materializing aspect, a word chain game aimed to make the opponent ran out of words or vocabulary. Sometimes by using words that ended up with unusual letters. Jibril as the genius who knew a lot of knowledge had clear advantage. But Saber was linked with Illya and the other Servants. She got helps from them.  
  
Saber: "lamp"  
  
Jibril: "pear"  
  
Saber: "rodent"  
  
Jibril: "tea"  
  
Suddenly, Illya gave a warning for Saber.  
  
Saber immediately ran and widen the distance between her and Jibril. In her mind was an image supplied by Archer, and theory supplied by Illya. All she had to do was to say the word.  
  
Saber : "Antimatter bomb"  
  
Saber said it while running to safety. The bomb, as big as a car, appeared behind Jibril. And it started to activate.  
  
Jibril's danger instinct warned her, this thing was dangerous.  
  
Without looking back, Jibril used all her power to cross the distance between her and Saber. Within two seconds, she had caught up with Saber.  
  
Three seconds until the bomb exploded.  
  
Saber used her sword. "Wind Hammer!" She aimed Excalibur behind her, and released the wind barrier, using it as a booster. She gained speed and left Jibril behind  
  
Two seconds until the bomb exploded.  
  
Jibril pushed all her spirits remaining inside her body. Breaking the limit, she forced her body to accelerate.  
  
One second until the bomb exploded.  
  
Jibril managed to catch up with Saber, they were neck and neck. Aware that the bomb would explode, Jibril say her next word, " **Bkulians** (Number 4 distant protection)."  
  
At the same time the bomb exploded, a dome of protection magic enveloped Jibril.  
  
Still, the bomb itself couldn't be blocked by such magic. The amount of antimatter used for that bomb was unprecedented and unlikely to be reproduced in real world. It was on the level of annihilating a small country. One gram of antimatter reacting with one gram of matter was said to be a little weaker to a Hydrogen Bomb. Just now, Saber materialized hundreds of kilogram antimatter.  
  
Jibril died. The protection magic and her durability gave out in front of such destruction.  
  
Too bad that Saber died earlier by fractions of second. Unprotected by any magic, even a Servant body was evaporated by antimatter reaction.  


**====break====**

  
"Bwaaaah" Kurami said after the game ended. She panted hard and clutched her chest.  
  
Not surprising since she died earlier in the game. She always accompanied them when the Servants played with Jibril. She always died in the game though.  
  
This time she died around the time when Gilgamesh appeared. Eh, you didn't see her? Of course, everyone forgot about her. Her existence was not important. Nevertheless, she deserved to be praised for her bravery. It was not easy to die three times in one day.  
  
"Arrgh!" Saber said in frustration. "I almost win there."  
  
On her opposite side, sitting on the chair, was Jibril. She looked like she had been chased by monster. Or just woke up from nightmare.  
  
Jibril glanced at Saber in curiosity. It was a fresh sensation, being pushed to the brink like that in a game. She wondered who and what Saber was.  
  
"Then. It's my defeat." Saber stood up from her seat. "Kurami, your turn."  
  
"Eeh? Aahh..." Jibril wanted to question Saber, but she hesitated.  
  
"Emm? Aah, yes. My turn." Kurami said. She took the seat and challenged Jibril. Saber watched from the side.  
  
The game itself had nothing special to be mentioned, except for Kurami's final move.  
  
Kurami eliminated air and made the whole world in vacuum. As a result, no sound could travel, and Jibril couldn't answer the next word with her voice. And both players plus one spectator couldn't breath.  
  
Jibril then pulled out a special move. She wrote with magic in the air with her finger.  
  
Kurami couldn't do the same thing because she had no magic. After thirty seconds, she lost the game.  
  
After that, Kurami and Saber went back to the palace, leaving Jibril who was both frustrated and curious.  


====break====

  
"So, let's summarize the game rules and what we could use." Saber said to the people in the room. She wrote on the board:  
  
**Materialization Word Chain / Jibril Analysis**  
  
1\. Only noun permitted.  
  
2\. Words may not be repeated  
  
3\. The last character of the previous word said must be the first character of the next word to be said  
  
4\. Things that are present will disappear, and things that are not present will materialize  
  
5\. Players cannot cause the direct death of each other by stating vital components of the body.  
  
6\. The noun stated must be a non-imaginary word  
  
7\. Words that the other player doesn't know but not-fiction can be used.  
  
8\. Condition for losing: Using a word that has already been said; Being unable to answer within 30 seconds; Being unable to continue.  
  
9\. The word stated will materialize / dematerialize based on the intention / imagination of the player who said it. Even the amount or the size.  
  
10\. The location of materialized thing can be determined by the player who said the word.  
  
11\. Servants can be materialized, in contracted state or uncontracted state.  
  
12\. Noble Phantasm can be materialized, but its use is limited if one is not its owner or can't read how to use it by tracing.  
  
13\. Reality Marble can be materialized.  
  
14\. Noble Phantasm can be activated by saying the activation word/ true name while intending to activate it. However, it can't be used with the intention to infringe harm towards a specific person. It must be let loose, in a wild state that will indiscriminately destroy everything in range.  
  
15\. Rule Breaker is useless. Even if it can work, it also nullify the obligation for the opponent to obey the wager agreed even if we win. Breaking contract goes both ways.  
  
16\. It's futile to let a free Servant attack Jibril to force her to quit the game. She was too strong.  
  
17\. It's useless if you summon something you can't control, or something you can't survive.  
  
18\. Flugel and other Exceeds have Spirit Circuits. We have Magic Circuits. Both are different. We can erase their Spirit Circuits, and still have our Magic Circuits functioning.  
  
19\. Even without Spirit Circuits, Jibril could still move with lightning speed, jumped very high, lifted heavy burden, etc. Physical ability stronger than Servants.  
  
20\. Things Jibril survived: Meteor Strike, Lava, Ionian Hetaroi, Kraken, Hydra, Nemean Lion, Sphinx, Cerberus.  
  
21\. Things that can kill Jibril: Enuma Elish (speculation), Angra Mainyu (speculation), Antimatter Bomb (confirmed).  
  
"I began to think that this fake angel is unkillable." Lancer said, admiring the list.  
  
"Of course not." Caster said. "She can be killed, the latest game proved that."  
  
"The problem is," Archer said, "the condition is too difficult to fulfill. For example, one of the reason why Enuma Elish failed to finish her off before me, is because its energy spread in radial manner. If only I can use it as normal and concentrate its blast to one direction..."  
  
"But you can't. That's violating the Oaths." Kurami said.  
  
"Hmm" Saber thought hard. "Someone could take Lancer along. And then use Rule Breaker on him in the middle of the game. He immediately use Gae Bolg, unavoidable strike to the heart. That would stop her for a while, at least."  
  
"Not sure it will work," Rider said. "We don't know about her anatomy. What if she have two hearts? And even if she only have one, I am sure a wound like that won't stop her."  
  
They stopped speaking, ran out of ideas.  
  
Suddenly Illya exclaimed, "Stop! Yes, that's it!" She spoke to the others, "It's wrong line of thought that we use. We always tried to kill her, but she is unkillable. Then if she can't be killed, then don't kill her."  
  
She pointed at Kurami and explained more. "Remember when Kurami played against that Flugel? That Flugel almost lost when she can't answer within 30 seconds, because there was no air. We should aim for that. Stop her for thirty seconds, stop her from speaking or moving, and we win!"  
  
"How will you do that?" Saber asked.  
  
Illya then explained her plan...  


=====break=====

  
Illya alighted the carriage and stared at the building in front of her. This was the first time she saw it with her own eyes. The building didn't look like anything special from the outside. But she knew that the inside looked like a fantastical library from another world.  
  
A very accurate description, if she could said so. The National Library of Elchea had been modified by the Flugel who resided there.  
  
She entered the building, escorted by Rider, and forced herself to not gawk at the sight. She strode inside and called for the Flugel.  
  
The Heavenly Winged looked like a bastardization of an angel. She had a halo-like ring on the top of her head. She had pointy ears and wings that grew from the hip. Her eyes shone with a promise of death.  
  
Illya suppressed the fear that sparked inside her. Sella, Leysritt, and Kurami, all testified that the Flugel emitted an aura of fear that they had to resist. In contrast, the Servants just shrugged and said that it's only a background noise.  
  
To cover her unease, she loudly and proudly confronted Jibril. She needed to win against Jibril. The earlier games were only for gathering information.  
  
When Jibril refused to play according to the previous wager, Illya already had a countermeasure. She dangled the bait that is Akasha in front of her. Illya was banking on the Flugels' reputation as collector of knowledge.  
  
What she got exceeded her expectation. Jibril's face was five milimeters in front of hers, and her saliva wet Illya's body.  
  
"Hueeeh. Hueeeh... all knowledge... the root of everything... hueehehehe..." Jibril said with dreamy expression.  
  
"So... you're interested? " Illya said while backing down from Jibril.  
  
"Where... where is it..." Jibril stared at Illya's body with manic expression. She seemed to think that Illya hid a key to Akasha somewhere on her person.  
  
"Please calm down..." Illya said to Jibril. "I will tell you more if you win a game with me."  
  
Jibril finally snapped out of it and regained her reason. "Uhm... well, while I am very curious about it, but there is no proof that anything you said is true."  
  
Illya had anticipated this. She motioned Rider to approach. "The person here came from that place." Illya described Heroic Spirits and Throne of Heroes.  
  
Rider demonstrated her abilities. She phased in and out to Spirit Form. She materialized her weapon. She summoned Pegasus from her bloody magical circle.  
  
Jibril also examined her body. After she finished touching Rider, Jibril declared that Rider is an unknown. "Her body was similar to us the Flugels, but there's no Spirit Circuits. The form is closely resembling Imanity... but no Imanity have such eyes... she is an unknown!"  
  
Jibril then realized something. "The people yesterday! That Archer and Saber, they have similar feeling. Are they unknowns too!? So many unknowns... huehehehe... heeehuehhe." Her saliva overflowed again and wet Rider's arm.  
  
After cleaning Rider's body, Illya turn the conversation back to the original purpose. "So, you believe that I have a way to access Akasha? It's a difficult thing but I know one way to access it." It's true. Illya had the theoretical knowledge of how to make a Holy Grail and conduct a Heavens Feel ritual. It could reach the Root.  
  
Illya just omitted the fact that it would be a super hard thing to do. Or that the ritual involved a kill or to be killed battle royale.  
  
"Of course! You will tell me all about it. Uhehehe. Huehehehe." Jibril said, lost in fantasy once again.  
  
"Let's confirm the wager again. If you win, I will tell you one way to reach Akasha. If I win, you will give me the National Library and all the books in it." Illya said.  
  
"Uehehe... eh? My books?!" Jibril snapped out of her fantasy.  
  
Jibril was torn. On one hand, her books were her whole life. On another hand, a prospect of infinite knowledge which was more valuable than her entire collection. Yes, it's more than her own existence!  
  
"I would bet my everything!" She placed her hand on her chest. "My books and me myself. It is what I think comparable to be equal value."  
  
"Nope. I don't want you. I just need all your belongings here." Illya said. She had been warned by Saber about this possibility, and Saber made Illya promised to refuse the offer. Why, Illya didn't know. Must be some complicated strategy.  
  
After back and forth negotiation where Jibril tried to offer herself and Illya stubbornly refused, they finally decided the wager. Illya compromised and settled for three favors she could ask to Jibril, in addition to the library and books.  
  
The three went down to the section of the library where Jibril always conducted her game. Illya sat on the chair while Rider stood behind her.  
  
"Well then. I look forward to see more of the unknowns. **Aschente**!" Jibril said.  
  
" **Aschente!** " Illya followed suit.  
  
"You can start first, Illyasviel."  
  
"Ok." Illya thrusted her hand to touch the glowing orb in front of her.  
  
"Avalon."  


====break=====

  
**Jibril POV**  
  
Jibril watched the new queen of Elchea said her first word for the game. But she was surprised when she saw nothing changed. "Is your word valid?"  
  
"Yes it is. It materialized inside my body." Illyasviel said.  
  
Jibril accepted the explanation and said, Well then, 'Needle'"  
  
A tiny needle materialized on the table.  
  
Illya's turn. "Excalibur." The golden sword materialized on her lap.  
  
Jibril: "Rack."  
  
Illyasviel: "Kangaroo "  
  
Jibril: "Oyster"  
  
Illyasviel : "Resort"  
  
Jibril : "Torch."  
  
Illyasviel: "Hot air baloon."  
  
A hot air baloon ready to take off materialized near them. It was held by a rope.  
  
Jibril looked at the Kangaroo and the baloon in wonder. They're something she hadn't ever seen before, just like things she saw the previous two days.  
  
Jibril : "Notes."  
  
Illyasviel smirked and said. "Spirit Circuits." The Spirit Circuits in Jibril's body disappeared.  
  
Jibril frowned. "The same tactics as before. Don't you guys learn your lesson already? Storybook."  
  
Illyasviel: "ketchup."  
  
Jibril eyed the bottle containing mysterious liquid. "Pastry."  
  
Illyasviel : "yoyo."  
  
Jibril was getting distracted with the mysterious toy Illya played with one hand. Her head bobbed up and down following it. "Ox"  
  
Illyasviel: "X-ray."  
  
Jibril struggled to check her curiosity when a mysterious machine materialized nearby. "Yarns"  
  
Illyasviel: "Submarine."  
  
Another mysterious object. It was quite big. Jibril endured and said, "Egg."  
  
Illyasviel : "Golden Armor."  
  
Illyasviel was now wearing the golden armor that was very similar to what the man named Gilgamesh used before. It was adjusted to fit her and was skimpier than the original.  
  
Jibril: "Rabbit."  
  
Illyasviel: "Tendon."  
  
Jibril suddenly felt something disappeared from her body. She couldn't move her limbs. Opposite of her, Illyasviel leaned back to the chair, her hands dangling lifelessly on her side.  
  
This must be a preparation to kill her. If she couldn't escape or avoid danger like before, she would die. But Illya and Rider were also in the same condition. Rider had fallen to the floor and couldn't stand.  
  
But the muscle around her mouth and tongue still intact. This must be because it was essential for the game.  
  
Jibril thought of ending the game early, but the things Illya materialized ... she wanted to know more. It's okay, Jibril couldn't die that easily and she wouldn't be defeated in word game. She was a genius that collect many knowledge for six thousand years.  
  
Jibril: "Newspaper."  
  
Illyasviel: "Radio."  
  
Jibril: "Orange."  
  
Illyasviel: "Enkidu."  
  
Long chains materialized around Jibril, and tied her body. The chains were anchored to the ground. She didn't have the ability to exert her muscle, otherwise she would have broken the chain with pure strength.  
  
"I wonder, what is your plan?" Jibril said, while considering her earlier decision to not end the game. "Trying to trap me so I can't escape? Uniform"  
  
A set of Elchea security guard uniform materialized on the table.  
  
Illyasviel just leaned leisurely. "What indeed. Mystic Code." Rings and bracelets and armlets and anklets appeared on Illyasviel. She mechanically moved her hands with difficulty and grabbed the sword on her lap.  
  
She found a way to move without her muscle?  
  
Jibril: "Emerald"  
  
Illyasviel: "Duck."  
  
Jibril: "Key."  
  
Illyasviel: "Yogurt."  
  
Jibril: "Topaz"  
  
Illyasviel: "Zelle."  
  
A glowing bird made from silver wire materialized and flew around. It perched on Illya's shoulder. Jibril was curious, but she continued the game.  
  
"So much unknown... huehehe.. Echo." Jibril said.  
  
Illyasviel said. "Orbital Escalator." And then a gigantic structure that towered to heaven appeared somewhere near them.  
  
Jibril almost missed the 30 seconds mark because she got really distracted. "Radish."  
  
Illyasviel: "Hovercraft. "  
  
Jibril: "Tiles."  
  
Illyasviel: "Spacesuit."  
  
Illyasviel was now wearing a bulky white suit which covered all of her body, on top of the golden armor she also wore. Her head was covered with helmet with full face glasses opening. Jibril was really curious about that. "What is that? Another armor? Do you want to call something really dangerous? "  
  
"A weakling like you wouldn't understand." Illyasviel said.  
  
"Me? A weakling?" Jibril questioned with an angry tone. How dare she claimed that she, a Flugel, was a weakling. She was much, much stronger than the weak Imanity before her.  
  
"Don't be so conceited. After all Imanity is just [Monkey who can talk]. You powerless human, let's see how you deal with this. Tornado."  
  
Swirl of air appeared and changed into huge tornado. Jibril decided that the time for the game was over. A twister of air current was heading to their position. Jibril was not worried in the slightest, her constitution would guarantee her survival. But for Illyasviel, the tornado would at least made her unable to continue the game. She might faint or unable to speak inside the tornado.  
  
Illyasviel spoke, "Onjin. ( **恩人** / savior, benefactor)"  
  
A tall and huge black giant with bare upper body materialized. He took Illyasviel and Rider and sprinted to the orbital elevator.  
  
The tornado swept the table and everything around it. Jibril was still anchored to the ground by the chains, so she didn't get swept away.  
  
In the middle of the tornado, Jibril could sense that Illyasviel had somehow entered the tower and went up. She said the next word. "Navy."  
  
The Tornado passed. Jibril looked at the tower that bridge the earth and sky. She now understood that this building's function was to send someone upward to the sky.  
  
But if Illyasviel ran away from this place, she wouldn't be able to answer the next word. It would be Jibril's victory.  
  
She sharpened her senses. Somewhere in the sky... Would Illyasviel answer the next word?  
  
She heard it. It was the white haired girl voice. "You underestimate human too much. You think just because you're the sixth rank, you can look down on me? Yak."  
  
A four legged animal similar to a cow appeared. She couldn't believe it. How did she hear the answer that Jibril said? Then she realized the glowing bird made from steel wires was still there, observing her. Maybe it was through this thing.  
  
Jibril: "Of course, from my perspective, an Imanity was just squishy little thing. Knife."  
  
Illyasviel: "Just because you have magic and longevity, you think you're better than me? Ethanol."  
  
Jibril was suddenly drowned in a sea of liquid. The liquid covered the whole land. The height of the flood was five meters from the ground.  
  
Even inside the liquid, Jibril was still able to speak. "Of course. It is just a simple fact of life that I can do more things compared to you, a weak Imanity. Lumber."  
  
Illyasviel: "You're wrong. So called weak is not based on that. Rainstorm."  
  
There was rain and storm, and lightning. The lightning struck the ground, and the liquid caught fire. It literally became sea of fire on the surface of the planet.  
  
Still, this was nothing for Jibril. She couldn't be killed by this lukewarm heat.  
  
But then she realized Illyasviel had another goal. With the rainstorm, fire, and flammable liquid around her, there were too much background noises. She might fail to hear Illya's next word.  
  
Jibril: "Mountain."  
  
Instantly, Jibril's location was transformed to the peak of a tall mountain. All the liquid and fire flowed downward. The rainstorm was also a non-issue, because the peak was above the clouds. This way, Jibril would be able to hear Illyasviel clearly.  
  
Illyasviel: "Nami ( **波/ wave)**  
  
A big wall of burning liquid tried to reach the peak, but the mountain was too tall.  
  
Jibril: "What do you think a weakling is, then? Inferno."  
  
She tried to burn the tower. Maybe if the base was destroyed, the thing would fall down?  
  
Illyasviel: "Someone who lost because she lacked preparation, for one. Oaf."  
  
A stupid-looking person appeared near Jibril.  
  
Jibril: "I don't need preparation against you. I didn't see anything worth knowing about you other than that you have access to the Origin of Knowledge. Fabric."  
  
Illyasviel : "And you must be more careful, knowing I have such access. **Casseur de Logistille"**  
  
Jibril didn't know the meaning of the word, and she didn't see any changes around her. The base of the tower had been burnt, and some of its structures fell down. But the top part stubbornly remained floating in the sky. Well, it was just a matter of time until it came crashing down. But she needed to end the game fast.  
  
Well, Jibril so far had only used Imanity language. It's time to use another language. How about the elven language and magic?  
  
Jibril: "Ellisande."  
  
A miniature sun appeared in the sky near the top of Orbital Elevator. It was a magic that simulated the sun, emitting heat to its surrounding. No normal human could survive it. The extreme heat and radiation would roast them alive.  
  
Illyasviel: "Ellis-Aethan."  
  
Jibril was surprised. What the... that was elven language magic. It was a magic shield to block sunray or sun-related magic. How did she knew that?  
  
Jibril: "Nagaru."  
  
A huge snake would appear near Illyasviel. With luck, she would be eaten.  
  
Illyasviel: "Updraft."  
  
There was an updfraft wind. And then Illyasviel got out from the top of the tower to the empty sky.  


======break======

  
**Illya's POV**  
  
Illya was inside the orbital elevator top floor, outside the atmosphere. A space station for docking or something like that. She planned to be here for the rest of the game, but it seemed that it's not possible anymore. The support structure was destroyed, so they were floating freely. And then the miniature sun magic melted the structure. Now, a huge snake took over most of the room.  
  
Illya was fortunate that the golden armor and the spacesuit held off most of the radiation for few seconds. Berserker also shielded her with his body. Just like her original Berserker that she left behind, what a loyalty! And the rest of the damage was being healed by Avalon. She was grateful her connection with Saber still existed even when she was inside the game.  
  
And the huge snake was being held off by Berserker. Correction, it was being killed.  
  
But because of that snake, the small space station gained more mass. It slowly being pulled by gravity. It would fall down. Illya needed to bail out. She got out from the space station to the vacuum outside. Berserker carried her and Rider, because Illya had difficulty moving her body.  
  
It's better to fall alone rather than falling inside a space station.  
  
Good thing she got a spacesuit. Rider and Berserker quickly turned into spirit form, eliminating the need to breath.  
  
She heard Jibril said something. "I must commend you. I don't know how you are still alive. But I bet you're getting desperate, swimming in nothingness like that." Jibril said. What kind of eyes did she have, she could see Illya who was floating outside the atmosphere?  
  
Jibril said, "But sooner or later you will fall to the ground. Tiara."  
  
Illya smiled when she heard that word. She said inside her spacesuit helmet. "Atmosphere."  
  
This was the moment she waited. She waited until everything was ready, and then she erase her the atmosphere. The spacesuit was the preparation for that. She waited until "A" came up. The orbital elevator was just an insurance. She could also hide in the submarine or board the hot air baloon, for another scenario.  
  
She observed as Jibril choked, unable to breath. However, the Flugel couldn't be killed with just that.  
  
Jibril tried to speak, but no sound came out. Yes, in the vacuum no sound could travel. This was the same condition with Kurami's match yesterday.  
  
The difference was, this time Jibril was chained and her tendons disappeared. She could only move her mouths. Illya used special mystic code and animation magic to move her body.  
  
As a bonus, when Illya fell to the earth, she would not be burnt by air-friction. Illya was slowly pulled by gravity and descended.  
  
Ah damn, because there was no air, there would be no slowing down. Illya would accelerate without any resistance. It will hurt a lot when she touched the ground.  
  
Now, how would Jibril answer the game?  
  
Jibril open her mouth and extended her tongue out. She wrote with her tongue. "Encasement."  
  
Illya's spacesuit disappeared. She lost her oxygen tank and her air supply.  
  
Jibril smiled, confident of victory. With no air to breath and no sound, she thought that Illya wouldn't be able to answer the next word.  
  
Illya closed her mouth and nostrils with her left hand, and then she thrusted her right hand. With slow and agonizing slowness, she used her fingers to trace word on the air.  
  
With magic.  
  
"Tomb."  
  
Jibril had a shocked expression. She must be very surprised to see Illya using magic. After all, no Imanity could use magic. Illya hid her abilities until it was unavoidable. She sent a message to Jibril.  
  
The Zelle that she left on the ground and became her eyes and ears unraveled part of its wires. It formed words in front of Jibril. "You think I will fall?"  
  
Illya's descent to the earth stop accelerating. She used anti-gravity magic from the Flight magic to control her fall. And then she freely flew, heading for the sky above Jibril.  
  
Illya also used magic to circulate the little air she had inside her lungs. The carbondioxide was transmuted into carbon and oxygen molecules. She couldn't keep this up forever but it was enough for several minutes. Hopefully she would win within that time.  
  
Jibril regained her calm. She wrote the next word. "Barag. (Self-restoration)" It was a magic to regrow lost body parts. She must be aiming for the lost tendon. And she specify it for herself.  
  
Yes, with her restored tendon, she gained her physical strength and tried to break free from Enkidu. She failed to break the chain itself, but the ground was different matter. Jibril pulled out the chain end that rooted to the ground, breaking the earth and cracking the land.  
  
But Illya already got the winning letter. "G."  
  
This time, she used Zelle to write the word. It was easier than writing with her tendonless hand.  
  
"Gorgon."  
  
The monster from the Greek legend. The one slain by Perseus. The one whose eyes could petrify any person. This was another form of Medusa, her final form when she became a monster.  
  
Illya viewed Rider's memory about this form, just for this moment.  
  
A huge monster with lower body of a snake and upper body a woman with multiple wings appeared. The woman's purple hair changed into live snake.  
  
When asked about how to stop someone, one of the best answer was to use **Cybelle: Mystic Eyes of Petrification.** If the opponent's magic resistance was low, the opponent would be petrified instantly. A decent mage would be petrified slowly and gradually. One with high magic resistance such as Saber, would be frozen on the spot and had difficulty to move.  
  
Illya and her Servants didn't know about the rank of Jibril's magic resistance. But it couldn't be higher than Saber. And making her frozen was good enough.  
  
There was no need to kill an enemy that couldn't be killed. They just need to stop her from answering for thirty seconds.  
  
Why not using Rider's eyes directly? Well, that's the problem. Rider's eyes were unable to activate to harm anyone in this word. It could still work against animal and other non-Exceed beings. So it seemed that the Ten Oaths prevent them to be used directly.  
  
So Illya summoned Gorgon, the uncontracted monster, and with even stronger **Cybelle** than Servant Rider.  
  
To prevent Jibril from killing Gorgon, she was restrained with Enkidu, the strongest chain that even gods couldn't break. It was pity that she restored her tendons, but it seemed that the plan would work just fine. She couldn't answer with her voice because of vacuum.  
  
She must answer with her fingers or her tongue, writing the answer with magic. But her lower body and hands already turned to stone. Oh, so her magic resistance was not so high. Or maybe it was because the Spirit Circuits was erased?  
  
The monster wreaked havoc, shooting petrifying beam to all directions. Jibril looked at the floating Illya, expecting her to be petrified too. She was astonished, again, when Illya wasn't affected.  
  
Of course, this is why Illya didn't summon Gorgon immediately. Illya needed to prepare so that she would be protected from the petrification. The Gilgamesh's **Golden Armor** had passive effect of raising magic resistance and also had the attribute of Anti-Petrification. The **Casseur de Logistille** was a Noble Phantasm which had the attribute to passively raise magic resistance to A rank.  
  
Using telepathy to contact Jibril, Illya said to her. "A weakling is someone who got tricked and lost because she didn't gather information. You mistook me as Imanity, while I am not. I came from another world, and I can use magic. Take that, you big breasted fake angel!"  
  
Illya gloated 5 km above Jibril. Fifteen more seconds and she would win the game. Eh? What was that fake angel doing?  


===break===

  
Pure spirits came out from Jibril's mouth and formed word on the air. It was a very short word, one with script that she didn't recognize. It was a last ditch effort, because Jibril's body was half petrified by now.  
  
She sent telepathy to Saber. "Saber, quick, find the meaning of this word and how it's spelled."  
  
And then Illya was suddenly transported to above ground, right in front of Gorgon.  
  
"Ooops?" Illya said in her heart.  
  
The Gorgon stared at her. Seeing that Illya didn't get petrified, it opened its mouth, attempting to eat her.  
  
Illya frantically tried to run away, she used her flight magic to increase the distance. The Gorgon was still pursuing.  
  
Where was the victory that she almost have?  
  
Saber replied to her. "Fii said it is ' _ **Njva**_ ', the meaning is 'distance'. Are you alright?"  
  
"No, I am not. Send me the Avalon barrier activation method, now!" Illya screamed through her connection.  
  
"Illyasviel, I told you that it is still impossible for you,.."  
  
"Just do it! Kyaaaah." Berserker and Rider tried to block the monster, but they were attacked by the hair-snakes and got caught. Soon, Illya was also caught by the hair-snake. Her lowered body was inside the snake's mouth.  
  
"Kyaaa kyaaah, don't eat me." Illya screamed, wasting the precious air she had in her lungs. She flailed Excalibur and it stabbed the snake, causing it to drop Illya to the ground.  
  
"Khok.." Illya choked, unable to breath. She hastily wrote on the ground. "Arondight."  
  
Dual wielding Excalibur and Arondight, Illya sat on the ground. Her lower body was mangled, and her wound was critical. She swung Arondight around, and Gorgon halted its advance, fearing the sword's dragonslayer aura.  
  
Jibril was looking at the spectacle with hope. The petrification had reached her lower neck. She had no more spirits to use to write, the last one used too much energy. It was now just a race between them, who would not reach the [unable to continue] state before the other. Jibril who was being petrified, or Illya who got injured, mauled, and poisoned? And even more, without any air to breath?  
  
A human couldn't survive without air for a minute. That person would lose consciousness after one minute or two.  
  
But before Jibril's own eyes, Illya's wounds were being healed. Even the lost body parts regenerated. No, the lost body parts inside the snake's mouth dissolved into motes of light and reformed on Illya's body.  
  
Illya's special body plus Avalon was doing well. Illya used flight magic to evade the Gorgon for a while. She just needed to endure just a little more. She could force her body to not require oxygen for a short while.  
  
Illya sent telepathy to Jibril. "I forget to tell you. I am also immortal. So, if you think you're better than me because you have longevity, think again."  
  
Jibril looked at Illya in wonder.  
  
The previous games were played to obtain information about the mechanism and rules of Materializing Word Chain. The capabilities of a Flugel were observed and tested. After that, Illya came prepared with a set of words she wanted to say. And in the end, a trump card to win the game was pulled out.  
  
_'A different world person... no, human species... what a mystery._ ', Jibril thought.  
  
Jibril thought back to the Queen's speech on the coronation day. ' _What do you mean that you are weak? Why did you say that you can't use magic? It's all a deception.'_  
  
And then the thirty seconds mark ran out at the same time that Jibril's whole body completed its petrification.  


====break====

  
The game ended and they were back in the center of the library, sitting in their original position.  
  
"Bwaaaaah. Fuuuu. Haaaa. Fuuuu." Illya sucked the wonderful air to her lungs.  
  
Rider only panted a little. She was not used to fight inside a vacuum.  
  
The fake-Berserker disappeared along with the game.  
  
"I completely lost." Jibril said while bowing with respect to Illya. "In my six thousand and two hundred years life after the Great War, the number of loss I experienced is very little. And I never expected to lose agains someone who represented Imanity, the lowest ranking race."  
  
Illya was relieved that she managed to win the game. "I told you, I am not exactly an Imanity. I am a [human] from another world." Or she was mostly human, and part Homunculus.  
  
"I am sorry for treating you like lowly Imanity" Jibril said to Illya. "Now I know that you are from another world, I will not be disrespectful as before."  
  
"Can you answer my question?" Jibril asked. "If you didn't got a letter 'G', how did you plan to win?"  
  
"Aaah, there were three or four different contingency plans. Like, I could materialized Rule Breaker and freed Rider here, and have her use her Mystic Eyes." Illya said.  
  
Jibril got excited. "Mystic Eyes? What are those? Are those the same as the eyes that monster have before? Oooh so many unknown... huehehe... huehehe..."  
  
"uhh... yeah. Or I could activate Avalon barrier and then materialized Antimatter bomb." Illya said the plan, without mentioning that it was one of the desperate last choice. Mainly because it was doubtful if Illya could use Avalon in that way.  
  
Jibril heard another [unknown] word and she got more excited. She understood that even if she lost today, she could still challenge her and she still have more and more knowledge to use. This situation was as the Flugel motto said, 'may the most knowledgeable win'. Jibril had [Respect] to Illya because of this.  
  
"As per the agreement... I will... I-I will... hand over this library to hics-... hics... to y-you. Uwaaaaah!" The Flugel cried.  
  
Illya felt bad, but it must be done. She couldn't say anything to console Jibril.  
  
"Aah, I wished you also take my very being... at least you can make me as the books guardian." Jibril said.  
  
"Ah ah, no can do." Illya said. "I need you to go back to your country."  
  
"Eh? For what?"  
  
Illya was also confused because she didn't know the purpose. She just parroted what Saber said to her. "Eeeh, let's see." Illya urgently called Saber in her mind. And then she repeated what Saber said, word per word. "The Flugel is known as a race that value knowledge. Recently, Jibril, a Flugel, has confirmed the existence of Akashic Record that contained every knowledge of the past, present future. And the keyholder of the place is the Queen of Elchea. So it is logical that.. eeeeeeeehhhhh?"  
  
Illya was in shock for a moment before continuing. "That the entire Flugel country should come and attack Elchea. For the sake of unlimited knowledge. Please relay that to your fellow Flugels. Tell them, if they don't attack, we will call the Flugels as ignorant overgrown chicken forever. Over."


	9. Liar Game / CHEATER

**Disclaimer: No Game No Life and Fate Stay Night belong to their respective owner / author.**  
  
**Reminder that you should not take this story seriously. I am just writing for fun and trying to polish my writing skill.**  
  
**Warning! This chapter and the next will contain spoilers from No Game No Life Light Novel volume 4 and 5, which was not covered in the anime first season.**  


**===chapterbegin===**

 

**Liar Game / CHEATER**

  
**Ding! You have won a game against Jibril. You have gained 399.000 EXP.**  
  
**You leveled up! x 23**  
  
**You gained the title [Angel Slayer].**  
  
**You have gained Elchea National Library and everything inside it.**  
  
**You have gained three favors from Jibril.**  
  
**You used one favor to make Jibril kept your magic secret.**  
  
**An event flag triggered! The relationship with The Flugels -500**  


**===break===**

  
Avant Heim  
  
A floating land where inside of it was another different world. Its true identity was one of the second rank Exceed, Phantasma. It was where the Flugels resided.  
  
Inside, there was a huge library. With a dream-like structure incomprehensible to Imanity, and pillars as high as ten stories building. The pillars were actually bookshelves, housing innumerable books that the Flugels had collected for millennia.  
  
At the center of this place, a single Flugel had appeared instantly, causing a small whirlwind. Large amount of books were caught by the strong wind and danced spirally in the air. The one who caused this, Jibril, didn't bat an eye to the chaos that she brought.  
  
"Aaaah! My books! The books that I haven't read!" Another Flugel appeared, catching the floating books. She was an extraordinarily beautiful young girl, with one horn on her head and a shining halo. She was flying here and there to catch all the flapping books with an expression as if she was about to cry.  
  
After she had finished gathering all the books, she spoke to Jibril with panted breath. "Ugh Jii-chan you are mean ~nyan. You finally came home and the first thing you do is pranking me ~nyan. Is this how you show your love ~nyan?" Aww~ Jii-chan I haven't seen you in so long~~ nyaaaaa!?"  
  
Jibril brilliantly teleported away in order to dodge her flying lunge towards her.  
  
The Flugel who was now half buried in pile of books was Azrael. She was the head of [Council of Eighteen Wings, the body which was 「Full Representative of the Winged」 that has the right to make the final decisions regarding the country's affairs.  
  
She was the First Unit of Flugel created by the War God Artosh.  
  
"Azrael Senpai. I am here on serious business." Jibril said to Azrael who was still motionless.  
  
Azrael instantly teleported and hugged Jibril, rubbing her cheeks to Jibril's. "Nyan~ Jii-chan is so mean~ I haven't seen you for so long, but you're still as cold as ever~~~~ but! That's fine too!"  
  
"Azrael-senpai is as annoying as ever as well. As I said, I have serious thing to talk to you..." Jibril said with a smile.  
  
"Nyan! I will not hear you if you don't call me Nee-san. Neeeee-san!" Azrael flew about in the air, drawing a figure-eight around Jibril.  
  
"... Nee-san." Jibril said the words in serious tone.  
  
Azrael stopped flying around and looked at Jibril with serious face. "Nyan? Jii-chan really call me Nee-san? What is this thing that you want to talk about nyan~?"  
  
"I have been defeated and lost my temporary shelter. Ugh, and all my books." Jibril said, looking down.  
  
"What? Who is it nyan? They must have won by pure luck ~nyan! There is no way Jibril can lost nyan?"  
  
"It was the new queen of Imanity." Jibril said, remembering her defeat. "And she didn't win by luck. More importantly, she might have the [Answer]."  
  
The [Answer] referred to the reason why the Flugels were collecting knowledge. When their master Artosh died, the Flugels lost their purpose in the new world of Ten Oaths. They dedicated their life to search for the [UNKNOWN, something that might explain why Artosh was defeated. Something that the [weak] could understand. A reason for Flugel to exist, even when their original purpose was lost.  
  
Jibril then described about Akasha, the source of all knowledge, where they could find any answer for their question. And that Jibril had seen strong proofs of its existence. The Imanity Queen knew how to access it.  
  
"What a crime nyan~~! To monopolize such a wonderful thing nyaan~~!" Azrael exclaimed. With that Akasha in her hand, she wouldn't have any difficulty finding the [Answer].  
  
And then Jibril delivered Illya's challenge, word per word.  
  
"Nyaaaan? Overgrown chickennnyaaaannn?" Azrael shouted angrily.  
  
Jibril smiled wryly and took out a newspaper. "They told me to take this with me. As a threat."  
  
Azrael read the newspaper and got angry. She cursed One Sole God Tet, for not including slander in the Ten Oaths. "Nyaaaan ~~! I will call upon full council meeting nyaaan~~! We need to attack them nyaan~! If we ignore them they will continue spreading this rumors nyaaaan~!"  


**====break====**

 

**Elchea Daily**   
  
**The Flugels true origin revealed?**   
  
**by Sita Reektar**

  
An official press release from the palace today revealed that our glorious Queen has won back The National Library from a stray Flugel that stole it from us five years ago.  
  
Yesterday, after hearing that the Flugel thief had stolen our national library and the thief also refused to pay property tax, Queen Illyasviel went to the library herself to challenge the tax-evader. In just one game, Our genius Queen defeated the feathered woman, ending five years of unrighteous occupation by an illegal immigrant.  
  
When this reporter asked about the game and her strategy, the Queen replied thus, "There is no strategy at all. We were just playing a game of word chain, so the one with more knowledge will win the game. You see, it turns out that those Flugels are stupid."  
  
Her statement raised doubt about our former King. Was he so stupid that he would lose to a Flugel? Or was it that our current Queen was truly a genius, towering high among others?  
  
Prime Minister Saber commented that it was the lack of education to blame, and she had also taken this opportunity to announce a new government project called "Printhing Mazzhine", though the details about the project remained sparse. The Prime Minister commented that this Printhing Mazzhine, "Would solve the problem of illiteracy in this country." We will keep our readers informed on this project development.  
  
But the most interesting part of the press conference was in the last part, where Queen Illyasviel revealed her hypothesis on the origin of the Flugel race. She speculated that they were not created by Old Deus, but modified instead. A living organism was used as a base and then changed, became sentient, and gained soul.  
  
Quoted directly from the Queen herself, "I speculated, from the evidence we have, that the organism used is a chicken. And it must be a fat, overgrown one. That's why even if they are an intelligent life, they are not intelligent at all! Only the mermaids are more stupid."  
  
However, The Queen told us that the hypothesis was still in early stage, and she only had one sample of the Flugel race for her research. The Queen said, "I need more sample to be interviewed. Sadly, The Flugel that stayed at the library went home, so I can't continue my research. But I told her to send message to her Flugel friends, and hopefully they will come here. I planned to write a book about the origin of the Flugel race!"  
  
This reporter looked forward to our Queen next endeavor! Remember, citizens of Elchea, that we are on our way to greatness, as long as Queen Illyasviel is with us. Glory to the Queen!  


**====break====**

  
Eastern Union Embassy in Elchea. A skyscraper building with a red torii in front of it.  
  
A horse-drawn coach came from Elchea's direction and stopped in front of it.  
  
A black haired girl wearing black clothing and black veil draped over her face got off from the horse-drawn coach. She strode off purposefully to the entrance.  
  
"Tell your boss, Kurami Zell is here. I made appointment earlier." She said to one of the entrance guard, a cat eared girl wearing kimono. When the guard didn't move, Kurami said in condescending tone. "What? Can't you animal read letters? Or you can't understand human speech?"  
  
"Shut up you hairless monkey!" The guard shouted. "Tch. Follow me, Izuna-sama is expecting you." The cat eared girl led Kurami inside.  
  
After that Kurami walked some more, enter a strange moving box, walk again, and finally she entered a meeting room. It was luxurious room made entirely from marble. Inside, two wolf eared Werebeast were already waiting for her.  
  
"Welcome, Kurami Zell. I am in charge of foreign affairs here in Elchea for the Eastern Union. Hatsuse Ino, Vice Ambassador." The older one said. He was old white haired Werebeast wearing hakama.  
  
He gestured to the one beside him. "And this is Hatsuse Izuna, Ambassador for the Eastern Union in Elchea."  
  
Hatsuse Izuna was a little wolf eared girl with big ears and big fluffy tail. She had bob hair and wearing a kimono with big ribbon. She open her mouth, "Nice to meet you, bastard, des."  
  
"..." Kurami was surprised for a moment, but she replied calmly. "Nice to meet you too, Hatsuse Izuna."  
  
Hatsuse Ino then took over the discussion. "I am sorry, but my granddaughter has only been here for a year and she hasn't learn Imanity language that well."  
  
Kurami smiled and said, "I am sure she learned that language from you."  
  
Hatsuse Ino signalled Kurami to take a seat, and she did so. He asked, "I am curious about how your letter arrived on my desk without anyone delivering it. Why didn't you use proper channel?"  
  
Kurami explained in bored tone. "Why, it's because all of Elchea's letter were disposed of by your subordinates without your knowledge. Elchea had sent a lot of letters over the years and all of them were ignored."  
  
Hatsuse Ino were surprised to hear it and he promised to punish the one who did it.  
  
Ino realized that Kurami didn't answer on how did she deliver the letter. But it was obvious that Kurami had connection with an elf, and that elf was seen in Elchea royal palace. There was no need to answer.  
  
But that raised another question.  
  
"Are you really representing Elchea government?"  
  
"I am. You can check to the royal palace." Kurami said.  
  
"What is your relationship with the Elchea new queen? Are you working under her?" Or are you controlling her, was the unsaid question.  
  
Kurami just smiled and said, "You just need to know that my will is her will, and my word is her word."  
  
"Then why is there an elf seen in the royal palace?"  
  
"That is none of your business, right?"  
  
"Then, let's hear why you are here today." Ino said.  
  
"My purpose eh? Why don't you just read my mind?"  
  
"This is a diplomatic meeting, a place where verbal and written agreements are exchanged, are you monkeys too stupid to understand that?" Hatsuse Ino said.  
  
"Heh. Then, I have three matters to discuss with you." Kurami took out a paper document. "Our country wish to buy some food from Eastern Union. This is our trade proposal. Why don't you deliver it to the one in charge of economy or trade."  
  
Ino took the document and examined it briefly. Everything seemed to be normal, he couldn't see any tricks. He looked at Kurami who had a thin smile on her face. "Well, you are not trying to trick us with some unfair clause, right?"  
  
"Of course not, that is just a proper, normal, fair trade agreement. If anything, we offer too much." Kurami replied to the question.  
  
Hatsuse Ino listened to the sound of Kurami's heartbeat, trying to detect any lies. There was none. Kurami's heart was beating regularly without any deviation.  
  
Wait a minute. In fact, her heartbeat was always flat, from the time she entered the building until now. Which is impossible, given that heartbeat would increase when walking and slow down when sitting down.  
  
'What is going on?' Hatsuse Ino thought.  
  
When Hatsuse Ino was thinking about Kurami's heartbeat, a group of people were watching the meeting.  
  
Inside Elchea's royal palace, Illya and her Servants were sitting in a circle, watching the screen on the wall. Caster had enchanted the screen to project the room inside Eastern Union Embassy. Accompanying them were also the core staff, Stephanie Dora, Fiel Nirvalen, and Kurami Zell.  
  
Yes, the real Kurami Zell was inside the meeting room in Elchea's royal palace.  
  
The one who went to Eastern Union Embassy was a fake, a golem created by Caster. The golem was created with 80% organic material, almost like making a meat doll. Someone without sharp magic perception couldn't detect that it was fake.  
  
The golem perfectly simulated respiratory system and blood circulation system. This was done to take account of Werebeast extraordinary sharp senses. It even had sweat and blinking eyelids.  
  
Kurami was sitting with her eyes closed. She and the golem was connected, sharing all five senses. She also controlled the golem's movement and speech. The golem had working vocal chord.  
  
"The golem passed Werebeast inspection." Saber said. "Even though it was said that they could detect magic."  
  
"Of course." Caster said proudly. "It was my perfect creation. I took steps to camouflage the magic. Even that elf over there said she had difficulty in seeing the magic trace. So a lowly race like Werebeast would be helpless."  
  
"Is it really necessary to send a fake?" Stephanie Dora asked. She had seen the time consumed by Caster in making the golem. "It's easier to just go there."  
  
"We can't take a risk." Saber said, taking a golden key from her pocket and spinning it between her fingers. "It was said that Werebeast can read mind. We know now that it might be false, but we can't take the chance."  
  
The golden key was the key that the previous king gave to Stephanie. It was a key to his secret study, where he stored his lifetime research, including the secret of Eastern Union virtual reality game. Stephanie gave it to Saber after she found out about the secret room.  
  
The fact that they already knew about Eastern Union's game was a secret. They couldn't take a risk that secret got leaked through mind-reading.  
  
Could Hatsuse Ino or Izuna read Kurami's mind through the golem? Caster was constantly monitoring the magical connection, but they still needed to consider the possibility. Well, if he refused the trade proposal because he found out that Imanity planned an economic attack...  
  
The Hatsuse Ino on the screen talked. "Very well, I will forward this to related ministry. Anything else?"  
  
Illya jumped out from the chair and danced merrily. "Yay! Yay! The stupid grandpa wolf can't read mind!"  
  
The fake Kurami took out another document and said, "Well, I have in here a list of merchants. They would like to trade within your country, so could you give permit for doing a business in Eastern Union?"  
  
Hatsuse Ino looked at the document again. There was nothing unusual. "I can forward this to my government, but to pass the border they would need different kind of permit. Otherwise the border guard would not let them pass."  
  
"Oh, I will send the document for that in later date." fake Kurami said. "Please process that permit first."  
  
"I trust that these merchants will not doing anything shady?" Hatsuse Ino said.  
  
"Of course, they will only do business honestly. Buying things and so on." fake Kurami said.  
  
Again, Hatsuse Ino tried to detect lies, but her heartbeat remained stable. Even her pupils remained the same. "Very well... then the third matter is?"  
  
"The third matter is..." fake Kurami looked over to Izuna. "I want to invite Izuna as a judge."  
  
"A judge?"  
  
"Yes, we will hold a game with other race, and we need impartial judge. Izuna is not Imanity and that other race, so she will be neutral." fake Kurami said.  
  
"You assholes want Izuna, des?" Izuna said.  
  
"Specifically, we invite the ambassador from Eastern Union." fake Kurami said, maintaining her calm. This was only possible because the golem was not her own body. The real body was clenching her palm in anger.  
  
"Troublesome, des." Izuna said, reluctant to go.  
  
"If you come, there will be delicious food." Kurami said.  
  
"Come! Izuna will come, des!" Izuna suddenly sit straight and pushed her palm on the table.  
  
Hatsuse Ino sighed and said, "understood, we will come. When will the game be played?"  
  
"Wait a minute, you misunderstand something." fake Kurami said. "We only invite one person, the Ambassador. You are not needed."  
  
"WHAAAAATTT! NO! Izuna will not go anywhere without me!" Ino shouted passionately.  
  
Other than his love for his granddaughter, it was a chance to gather information. Ino would like to see Imanity playing against another race.  
  
Saber whispered to real Kurami's ears, instructing her. And then the fake Kurami said to Izuna, "If your grandpa come, your share of food will decrease."  
  
"Grandpa, stay at home, des. Izuna will go alone, des." Izuna said  
  
"NOOOOOOO!" Ino was half shouting and half crying.  
  
"Well then, that conclude my business here. I will send the date of the game later and the horse-drawn carriage on the morning before the game. Goodbye." fake Kurami stood up and left. Ino didn't say goodbye because he was still trying to persuade Izuna.  
  
Back in Elchea royal palace, the people watching let out sigh of relief when the golem safely made it back to the horse-drawn carriage.  
  
"With this, we sealed their mind reading, whether it was true or not." Archer said. "Next, investigating and collecting more information. Then..."  
  
Kurami opened her eyes. "Then we corner Eastern Union."  
  
The mood in the room changed into an excited one, and they were speaking with each other in relaxed attitude. But Caster suddenly hissed, "Sssshhh. Quiet. The old guy is contacting someone."  
  
Yes, the screen hadn't been turned off. Caster's ability to spy on enemy undetected was truly marvelous. They could even observe the enemy far away without him knowing, despite the boast that Werebeast could detect magic.  
  
They watched as the old wolf eared grandpa spoke with someone over a communication device. Was that video call? The Eastern Union had technology more advanced than the rest of the world, it seemed.  
  
And then Hatsuse Ino said, "No, I couldn't see any lies. Her heartbeat remained calm. Her pupils stay normal, and there was no other bodily sign I could see that indicated that she was lying."  
  
"So that's how he did it." Lancer said. "It's not mind reading, it's detecting lies through body language!"  
  
"He said something about listening to heartbeat though." Rider said. "He must have very good ears."  
  
"Good thing we sent the golem. That thing gave no detailed signal like that." Caster said. "Well, certainly I could made something that can simulate heartbeat and other bodily signals, but that would take long time and rare materials. The user would lost all sensory connection to his original body and controlling the golem in full. That would make the magical connection more difficult to hide."  
  
"Why would you want something that can expose us? The one we already have is fine!" Illya said to Caster.  
  
"Actually, I didn't lie at all. I just don't say our true goal." Kurami said.  
  
Saber grinned and clapped her hands, drawing attention from everyone. "Alright everyone, back to work. Now that we know these Werebeast can't read mind, we can accelerate our plan. Team A, I want Eastern Union cornered in two months. Team B, prepare for the game against Flugels. Get everything you need."  


**====chapterend====**


	10. The Wild Fire Tournament

**Disclaimer: NGNL belongs to Kamiya Yuu, Fate Stay Night belongs to Typemoon.**  
  
**One reviewer had the same idea as mine, so I go ahead with my original idea.**  


===chapterstart===

 

**The Wild Fire Tournament**

  
When the floating island Avant Heim stopped at the sky above Elchea City, the Elchea citizens knew that there will be trouble.  
  
It was to be expected. Their new queen was the source of many trouble these days. There were countless of wild rumors about her. They said, she was now controlled by the elves. They said, she auctioned Imanity race to get a lot of gold. They said, she experimented with corpses to create living dead.  
  
Of course, she had also done some good. One, it seemed that there were increasing amount of food available in the market. Two, the homeless gradually disappeared from the street and placed in shelter. Three, the government provided jobs to eliminate unemployment. There were reforms in agriculture, finance, trade, public facilities and so on.  
  
But the citizens didn't forget. The queen was a traitor. She might do these good things, but there must be hidden intention. Maybe she wanted to raise the value of merchandise (Imanity) before selling it to the highest bidder?  
  
The distrust against the queen was all time high. But they couldn't do anything about it, since they had sworn an oath to obey her.  
  
So when Queen Illya won against that one Flugel, none took it as a sign of Illya's brilliance. After all, it was normal for someone who was backed by elves to win against a Flugel. What the citizens worried about was that the queen antagonize the Flugels.  
  
With that floating island blocking the sunlight, their worry was confirmed. What would happen now? Why Queen Illya made trouble with the Flugels? Did the elves instruct her to, or was it an excuse to hand over Elchea to the Flugels?  
  
When hundreds of Flugels descended from the sky, flying with their white wings like angels of death, circling above Elchea, the citizens thought of one thing:  
  
' _We are doomed_.'  


=0=0=0=

  
The first thing that the Flugels did after descending to the palace was to visit the Immigration Office.  
  
The Flugels learned from Jibril that Elchea had cunningly set up immigration laws. If they didn't want to be trapped in legal pandemonium and blackmailed like Jibril, the Flugels should follow the law to the letter. Even if there was no actual need to do it, the Flugels decided to close any loopholes that could be used against them.  
  
The administration clerk was trembling all the time, but she issued temporary visa for all the Flugels. It seemed that it was already prepared beforehand.  
  
That done, Azrael led her sisters to the throne room to challenge Queen Illya. But a messenger came and told her that she was waiting at the courtyard.  
  
These hundreds of Flugels went to the palace courtyard, where Queen Illya and her staffs waited. After introduction and greeting, Azrael challenged Queen Illya.  
  
"I challenge you for a game nyan. Give me the Akashic Record nyan."  
  
Queen Illya promptly refused. "Rejected. You didn't set a wager and I want the representative of all Flugels, not just you."  
  
"Why do you want to play with representative nyan?" Azrael asked.  
  
"I want your race piece." Queen Illya answered.  
  
The Flugels had commotion over this lowly Imanity who dared challenge a superior being and presumed that she could gained their right as species. Azrael gestured to calm them, and she said, "Our race piece is too valuable compared to this hypothetical well of knowledge that you said you have nyan."  
  
"Well then, why don't we wager something else then? How about... I would stop spreading rumors that you are made from overgrown chicken?"  
  
Azrael contemplated for a moment. For her, this was more important than getting this unproven source of knowledge. At least, she could win one game first to eliminate Imanity's advantage.  
  
Imanity could arrogantly bargained with sixth-ranked Flugels like this because they had won once. As a result, their silly claim had some credibility, even if just a little. Azrael was aware that Imanity was using this to force the Flugels to play. But if the Flugels won one game and forced Imanity to retract their claims, the advantage would be lost.  
  
"What do you want from us? Of course, race piece is off limits nyan." Azrael decided to probe first.  
  
Queen Illya looked upon hundreds of Flugels who were hovering around the courtyard. "An alliance. Cooperate with us to fight our opponent."  
  
Azrael frowned. Did Imanity try to get easy win by relying on the Flugels in their subsequent game?  
  
"That would favor Imanity too much, while we gain nothing from it. That doesn't have equal value with your wager nyan. We won't become your weapon to conquer the other races nyan." Azrael said.  
  
"Then how about this," Queen Illya said. "The Flugels are only obligated to help Imanity if and only if : the opponent does not belong to the sixteen races of Exceed." Illya said with a smirk.  
  
The floating Flugels who was listening broke into chaotic buzz.  
  
Azrael looked at Illya with confusion, but she couldn't guess Elchea's queen intention. She said, "I need to consult with my sisters nyan."  
  
"Take your time."  
  
Azrael ascended high to the sky and called, "Council of Eighteen Wings, to me nyan. Jibril too, come join us nyan."  
  
Eight Flugels and Jibril made a circle around Azrael. Around them, the other Flugels were casting magic to block any sound.  
  
"This needs consensus from the council nyan. What do you think about their proposal nyan?" Azrael opened the emergency meeting.  
  
"They must be bluffing. There is no race outside the sixteen Exceed." One of the council member said.  
  
"But that means even if they win, they gain nothing. Why do that?" other asked the question.  
  
"Maybe they decided to throw away this game to give us false sense of security. After all, both sides don't really lose anything." Another said.  
  
"Or they chickened out and give up, and trying to lose with dignity. They want out, so they propose a game where Flugels won't lose anything." Another gave her opinion.  
  
"But what if there is something other than sixteen Exceed?" Another council member asked. "Then we have to fight it."  
  
"That opponent will not be protected by Ten Oaths, so we can go all out slaughtering it." Another member said. "I don't think anything can be stronger than Gigants or Dragons. Or Old Deus."  
  
"Plus, if we have to fight something other than sixteen Exceed, that will be our benefit." Jibril said. "We can encounter something previously unknown. We may even use our power to kill again."  
  
The Flugels became silent after hearing Jibril. All of them still resent their loss of ability to do violence. Now faced with possibility to go back to the old times, many of them smiled.  
  
Bloodthirsty smile.  
  
"So if there is no opponent, we lose nothing nyan. And if there is, we get benefit nyan. Do we agree to accept this wager on behalf of Flugels nyan?" Azrael asked.  
  
The council voiced their agreement unanimously.  
  
Azrael descended back, facing Illya who was sitting on a chair waiting. "We have agreed nyan. The Flugels agree with the wagers you proposed. If we win, you will stop spreading rumors and clear our name nyan. If you win, The Flugels will help you to fight or play a game with an opponent, provided that the opponent is not one of the sixteen Exceed nyan. Is that right nyan?"  
  
"Excellent! Now we have agreed about the wager, let's talk about the game." Illya said. "Because I am the challenged party, I will determine the game. The game we will play is this!"  
  
Illya gestured to the courtyard where there is one stage and two special areas opposing each other.  


===break===

  
**Flashback, at the day when Illya play against Jibril**  
  
Saber stared at the budget report.  
  
She frowned at the offending paper. The latest report told her about the amount of gold that Illya had transmuted so far. Reading the numbers and the projected price of staple food, she knew that she had miscalculated.  
  
Stephanie Dora was very competent, and she had highlighted the discrepancy between the two in her report. And that made Saber realized her mistake.  
  
Imanity had too much gold.  
  
The blame lay on Saber. She was the one who set the required amount of gold needed for Illya to transmute. Illya worked hard everyday, and she was already halfway in reaching the goal. But it turned out that they already had enough.  
  
Saber had overestimated the amount of food consumed by an average adult Imanity. She assumed that an Imanity would eat five bowl of rice for one meal. So the calculation assumed that an average adult would eat fifteen bowl of rice each day.  
  
Well, considering that she ate ten bowl of rice for each meal, her perception was skewed. Berserker consumed twenty bowl of rice, so she didn't feel like she had overeaten.  
  
Of course, Saber knew that she ate a little more than normal. That's why she based her assumption on someone else daily consumption. The Hound of Ulster, Cu Chulainn, ate fifteen bowl of rice everyday. See, it was partly his fault for eating more than average men!  
  
Another person to blame was EMIYA. Ever since he took over the palace kitchen, the average food expenses had increased. He always cook some delicious food, that Saber and the others always ask for more servings.  
  
Maybe this was the result of staying too long in Emiya house. Shirou had always indulged her eating habit, and the other occupants were also heavy eater. And in Disboard, EMIYA had replaced Shirou's role as her cook. This made her forget about normal eating habits for human.  
  
"Saber? Is there something wrong?" Stephanie Dora asked with worried expression.  
  
Saber and the core groups were inside the meeting room in the palace, waiting for Illya. The game Materialization Word Chain between Illya and Jibril had just begun. Saber was observing through telepathic connection, and she divided her attention to review some reports.  
  
The game was proceeding well as they had planned. But now, what to do with this surplus of gold. If Illya knew that she had worked hard for nothing, she would throw tantrum. She mustn't know about Saber's mistake. Better yet, nobody must know. Now..., how to spin this into her favor while hiding her mistake...  
  
Saber's eyes fell to the map on the table, seeing the Eastern Union.  
  
That land..., that country had a lot of farm, yes? And marine industry was thriving there, yes? Imanity was planning to challenge Eastern Union and take the continental land back. The problem was, they still had no way to force Eastern Union to play according to Imanity's term, and no valuable thing that Eastern Union want. But if they could corner the Eastern Union...  
  
A plan to use the surplus gold began to form inside her mind.  
  
"Saber?" Stephanie asked again, worried because Saber was lost in thought.  
  
"Ah, it's nothing." Saber answered her.  
  
"Oh. Ok then." Stephanie said. "Then about my report, umm, the numbers are weird. Do we really need that much gold to buy food?"  
  
"There is nothing wrong with the number." Saber said. She hastily said, "and you did well with this report. Your calculation is right."  
  
Stephanie was now confused. "Eeeh? But, but the numbers!" She had difficulty articulating her thoughts.  
  
"Indeed, if you assume that the gold is only for fulfilling our need, we had too much." Saber tossed the report to the table. "But my goal is not only that." Saber stood up and traced her finger on the map.  
  
"Stephanie. I want you to recruit people, the requirements needed are only that they can read, write, and count numbers. I want twenty, no, fifty men. And another three hundred men for heavy labor." Saber said. There were a lot of unemployed people so Saber didn't think they would get lack of applicants.  
  
"Eeh? For what? and the budget..." Stephanie almost shouted.  
  
"I want to launch economic attack against Eastern Union. And don't worry about budget, we have enough gold, right?"  
  
"E-Economic attack?" Stephanie said, not understanding. "What is that?"  
  
Saber smiled. This was one sign that her plan would succeed, because apparently no one in this world knew about economic attack. "I will explain later. Now, hurry up and post announcement for recruitment."  
  
"Y-yes mam!" Stephanie saluted and scurried to the exit.  
  
Saber sat down and return to observe Illya's game. The game still continuing as planned, but nothing was set in stone. Illya could still lose the game, a Flugel's power was that strong.  
  
Saber planned to use a victory here as stepping stone and use it to bait the remaining Flugels. But now she had doubts about it. Just one Heavenly Winged was already that powerful, what would happen if a whole race fought together? They said that the era before Ten Oaths were hell on earth because these powerful races fought each other. Now she could understand what they meant a little, after seeing Jibril.  
  
In this other world, a Servant's advantage were physical power, magic, and Noble Phantasm, and the fact that these were hidden. The other race would underestimate them, assuming that they were weak, and then the Servants would surprise them by revealing their superhuman power and magic. This tactic allowed Servants to bait the overconfident enemy into betting valuable things, and then reap the rewards.  
  
But this would not work against Flugel, a race created as living weapons. It was very possible that they were stronger than Servants. Their physical power and magic power might be stronger than the Servants, and they also had superior numbers. Because of that, they couldn't just propose a game of arm-wrestling or a race, a game that Servants could win easily against other races.  
  
Even this Materialization Word Chain game was very risky. As Saber watch the game, she noted Jibril's vast knowledge and durability. Even if Illya won today, the Flugel would learn from the defeat, and the next game would be harder to win.  
  
No, it was foolish to let the enemy set the battlefield. Saber must think of a game that allow her side to absolutely win without fail. A game where The Flugels couldn't use their overwhelming strength. A game that their side had the best advantage, while the opponent had worst disadvantage.  
  
Was there a game like that?  
  
But they must win the Flugel, or at least made Jibril owe them something. Imanity needed information, about the Werebeast, about the Elves, and the other intelligent races. Saber couldn't initiate her economic attack before she got more detailed information about Eastern Union situation.  
  
Saber continued watching the game while thinking. If she didn't find a game like that by the time the game ended and Illya won, she would not tell Illya to deliver the provocation against the Flugels. Getting the library back was good enough.  
  
Suddenly, Lancer entered the room with a grin on his face. He sat down on a chair, drawing raised eyebrows from other Servants in the room, Kurami, and Fii.  
  
"Where have you been?" Saber asked.  
  
"I was hunting." Lancer said. "I got us a wild boar."  
  
"Illya is doing an important game. You shouldn't be doing whatever you like." Saber said in disapproval.  
  
"So? It's not like we have to be here in one room. I can watch by telepathic connection when I am hunting."  
  
"We will have quicker response if anything happens if we are gathered." Saber insisted.  
  
"Yeah yeah, that's why I am here, earlier than my usual hunting schedule. More importantly, Archer, I give the wild boar to the kitchen staff. It looks a little different from our world's boar, but you can cook it, right?" He asked with hungry grin.  
  
"A wild boar, hm?" Archer nodded. He closed his eyes and rubbed his chin, thinking about cooking. "The livestock and wild game here is similar enough with our world, I have no problem so far. Let me see it later and if there are differences, I will adjust my cooking."  
  
The listeners all cheered delightfully. The food that Archer cooked so far had been delicious, even when he complained about difficulty in ingredients and tools.  
  
Only Saber was struck speechless.  
  
Saber was struck with sudden inspiration. Eureka! Of course, the answer was right in front of her all along!  
  
"Ahahaha. Hahahahaha"  
  
Saber laughed, drawing confused stare from her surrounding. She didn't care. She was so happy to find the game a Flugel couldn't win.  
  
"Archer, save the boar for later. We will have cooking contest with The Flugels, use it then."  


===break===

  
"We will have cooking contest." Queen Illya said to Azrael.  
  
"Cooking nyan?" Azrael tilted her head.  
  
So the two identical areasd were kitchen counters. Each area was quite large. There were the standard firewood stoves, some containers filled with waters, and preparation table.  
  
Beside the two cooking areas, there was one table for the judges, and a stage for the MC.  
  
"I will explain the rules." a woman with blonde hair stepped forward. This must be Saber, the Prime Minister of Elchea.  
  
Rules of Cooking Contest:  
  
1\. Each side will send three participants to represent them in cooking contest. They can cook together or take turn, there is no limitation.  
  
2\. Standard cooking utensils and appliances will be provided to both sides by Elchea royal palace. Both sides will get identical things according to royal palace standard.  
  
3\. Participants are free to acquire additional utensils and appliances that they brought themselves.  
  
4\. Standard Elchea royal palace spices will be provided. Participants are free to acquire additional spices from anywhere else.  
  
5\. Ingredients should be provided by each side. Members of Imanity side or Flugels can help contestants by acquiring ingredients, spices, or cooking utensils. We will give one hour preparation time to gather ingredients.  
  
We will provide standard food ingredients at the table in the center of the courtyard on a first-come-first-serve basis. Only standard and common ingredients such as flour, rice, potato, common vegetables, tomato, etc will be provided.  
  
More ingredients can be acquired during the cooking period.  
  
6\. Only the six contestants may cook. Cooking is defined as any acts from preparing ingredients (such as washing), processing food (such as boiling), until serving food.  
  
Helping contestants by giving suggestions are not prohibited.  
  
7\. All members of Imanity side or Flugels side are prohibited to directly interfere with other side's cooking.  
  
8\. Each side must prepare three dishes. Each dish must be prepared for three person portion at minimum. We will give two hours cooking time. If you run out of time, the dish must be served no matter what its condition.  
  
9\. There will be three judges. Each judge will taste a dish and give score from 1 to 10. Score 1 is horrible food, score 10 means heavenly delicious.  
  
0 score if the dish is not completed.  
  
10\. The team with highest score at the end wins.  
  
"Any questions?" Saber asked.  
  
Azrael thought that the rules were okay. It was standard, and seemed fair enough.  
  
"Who will be the judges nyan?" Azrael asked. The one way to cheat was to have unfair judges.  
  
Saber nodded. "We are picking up the Ambassador of the Werebeast. She will be the first judge."  
  
Clever. With a judge from another race unrelated with the conflict, no one could say that it was unfair. Unless Imanity had made a secret deal.  
  
"The second one. Jibril, please come here." Saber said.  
  
"Huh? me?" Jibril approached her from above.  
  
Illya said to Jibril. "Jibril, I am calling one of my favor here. You will not help the Flugels in this game because you will be one of the judge. I ask you to be fair and impartial in judging."  
  
"Nyan!!" Azrael exclaimed. "Jibril can't participate nyan? But Nee-san want to eat Jibril's cooking nyan!"  
  
"I am sorry Azrael-senpai. But this is something I must do. I lost the game against her. Please understand." Jibril said.  
  
"Nyan! Why did you stop calling me Nee-san nyaan?" Azrael shook Jibril's shoulder.  
  
"Cough. About the third judge..." Saber tried to ignore the wailing Azrael. "We haven't choose one yet. An Elf has different diet and taste... So we might choose one random passerby later."  
  
"Nyan! That's unfair nyan! You can put your people on the street and make them acted as passerby nyan!" Azrael protested.  
  
"That's easy to fix." Queen Illya said. "Just play Rock Paper Scissors with the judges, if they lose then they have to judge fairly."   
  
Azrael was speechless for a moment. What an ingenious idea!   
  
"Nyan, then we agreed to the game and the rules. Let us choose our contestants first nyan. I think some of my sisters wanted to discuss with me about the game nyan." Azrael said, and then she flew back to the sky, joining her sisters.  


===break===

  
Jibril was left on the courtyard, while all the Flugels ascended high to the sky above Elchea to hold discussion. Technically, she was a judge, so she shouldn't help her sisters.  
  
She approached Saber and asked, "Are you sure you want to do cooking contest with us?"  
  
Saber had a curious expression and asked her back. "Yes. Why do you ask?"  
  
Jibril narrowed her eyes and spoke, "I hope you don't had a false impression that Flugels cannot cook."  
  
Saber was surprised. "You Flugels can cook?"  
  
"It is a common misunderstanding because we don't need to eat and we rarely do it, but yes, we can." Jibril answered. "We are collector of knowledge. We collected recipe books and memorize it perfectly. As long as there is an instruction about how to do something, we can replicate it perfectly. And we have collected a lot of recipe books from many races."  
  
Jibril looked above and said, "I saw some of my sisters teleported back to Avant Heim. They must have gone back to pick up some recipe books." She looked back at Saber and said, "You can still cancel this game and change it to something else."  


===break===

  
**Ding! Please choose one to proceed!**  
  
**A. Maybe we should play something else...**  
  
**B. It's Shokugeki time! Bring it on!**  


===chapterend===

  
**AN**  
  
1\. Editorme: I noticed that there is a lack of characterization in this whole fanfic. Only plot, especially in this chapter.  
  
Authorme: That's fine, let's add more plot to distract the readers! They just want to read about more games!  
  
2\. The title referred to Hyouka anime ep14.


	11. Isekai Shokugeki

**Isekai Shokugeki**

  
**BGM recommendation: Apron Boy, by DJ Misoshiru & MC Gohan**  


**=======chapterstart======**

  
**Ding! You have taken the quest : "Cooking Contest against Flugel"**  
  
**Reward when successful: An alliance of your kingdom with the Flugels against non-Exceed creatures.**  
  
**Failure penalty: Revoking the false statement against Flugels and refraining from slandering them in the future.**  


**=======break=======**

  
The Flugels unanimously voted to ban Azrael from cooking.  
  
"Why nyan! I can cook nyan! This is most unfair nyan!" Azrael wailed, but all of her sisters ignored her and continued their discussion about representatives selection.  
  
After that however, was a lot of shouting and cat fighting between them. Because they couldn't agree about who would become the representatives and what dishes they would make. Everyone boasted about being the one who memorize greatest number of recipe book. They had to decide by lottery.  
  
In the end, they chose three of representatives, from the one who got the most cooking knowledge, and ten supporters to handle non-cooking task.  
  
Azrael was told to do nothing. She could watch as long as she didn't disturb the cooking contest.  
  
After that done, they flew down to tell their decision to Queen Illya.  


**=======break=======**

  
Hatsuse Izuna stepped down from the horse carriage.  
  
Izuna had been picked up from the Eastern Union Embassy by carriage, and she went alone despite her grandfather Ino's vehement protest. She wasn't afraid of going alone. After all, the Ten Oaths protected her from any violence.  
  
And if Ino came, her share of food might decrease.  
  
She was greeted by that black haired Imanity girl who came to the Embassy before. "Welcome to our palace, Hatsuse Izuna. Please follow me."  
  
Izuna followed the girl to what appeared to be a large courtyard. The courtyard was divided into several areas. The two largest areas mirrored each other, and they seemed to be filled with cooking implements.  
  
"Please sit on one of the chair there." The black-haired girl pointed to an area with a long table and chairs. A sign hanged in front of the table, 'Judges' written on it.  
  
Izuna wordlessly walked to the judge's table and sat down. And not too long after, a man clothed in red and black with white hair approached her, carrying a tray. He served a plate of familiar food she never seen outside her country and a glass of colored liquid. "It will be a while before the cooking contest really begin, so you can eat this first."  
  
Izuna wasn't really hungry, she had eaten breakfast before coming here, but the delicious visual of the food in front of her made her stomach felt empty. Suddenly, she had an appetite, and she had to swallow saliva because her mouth was full of it.  
  
In front of her, on the table, was a plate with five pieces of sushi. It was a traditional food of Eastern Union, and as far as Izuna knew, no other country had the same food. Not everyone could understand about eating raw fish with white rice after all. Why would a traditional food of her country be here?  
  
Izuna shoved that question to the deepest back of her mind as she stared at the sushi, as nothing else more important than savoring this delicacy. She could tell just from appearance that the sushi in front of her was way better than the ones she had eaten before. She barely took notice when that white haired man gave her a pair of chopsticks and placed shoyu and other condiments beside the plate.  
  
She used the chopstick to take one of the sushi, dipped it in soy sauce, and ate it in one bite. She chewed and closed her eyes, tasting the rice and fish.  
  
Heaven.  
  
The explosion of flavor made Izuna lost her mind for some time. She blinked and regained her consciousness, only to find that she had swallowed the sushi.  
  
That was better than even five star restaurant at the capital! Izuna searched the previous white-haired man, wishing to ask about the identity of the master chef who prepared this food, but he had disappeared.  
  
It seemed that there was a commotion in another area, and some people talking to the Flugels. She remembered her grandfather telling her to gather information and listen to the conversations. Any information she could bring back was valuable.  
  
But which was more valuable? The reason why hundreds of Flugels hovering around above her, or the enticing four sushi in front of her?  
  
The sushi, no question!  
  
Izuna reached out to the remaining sushi, tuning out her surroundings.  


**=======break=======**

  
_'Master, I detect a powerful being intruding into our palace.'_  
  
Illya received Caster telepathy and forwarded it to the rest of her Servants. Lancer went to check out the intruder, who bravely came through the front entrance.  
  
Lancer swiftly sprinted to the palace front entrance. At the front entrance, a small kid with colorful clothes and red beret was talking with the guards. One of the guard saw Lancer and said, "ah, good that you are here Mister Lancer! This kid is saying that he wants to meet the queen. He said that he knows the queen." The guard asked, not sure whether the kid told the truth or not.  
  
The kid had heart shaped tattoo on her right cheek, a blue choker, a pair of heterochromatic eyes, light blonde hair, red hoodie, yellowish green shirt, and blue shorts. He was wearing brown sandals, and his beret had club symbol motif. If one looked closely at his eyes, both his pupils had diamond and spade pattern. Other than that, he looked like normal Imanity.  
  
"What? It's you kid. I haven't seen you since that game at the castle." Lancer greeted Tet, the One True God of Disboard. He gestured to the guards, "Let the kid in, he is someone I know. Oh, the queen knows him too, I guess."  
  
Lancer signaled Tet to follow him inside. After Tet caught up to him and walked alongside him, he asked, "So? What do you want coming here? Want to check up on us after you dropped us here?"  
  
"That too." Tet said, smiling. "But I have bigger reason. You are doing something interesting right now, right?"  
  
Lancer grinned. "I see. So you come here to eat that guy's cooking."  
  
Tet didn't deny Lancer's statement. "I envy you guys, eating delicious food every day. After watching for so long, I just can't help but want to try it myself."  
  
"Yeah, but it's not like anyone can eat the food he cooks today." Lancer explained the problem. "We are doing a match, so the food will be limited and only the judges can eat. Maybe if there are some leftovers..."  
  
"Oh, I got an idea about that." Tet smiled again. "You still haven't got the last judge right? Let me join as the judge. Your problem solved, and I got to eat!"  


**=======break=======**

  
Saber looked at her newest guest with conflicted emotion.  
  
Lancer arrived with none other than The One True God of Disboard, Tet, and all of the Servants recognized him. A lot of things happened, but when the Flugels came back down from their meeting we had to pretend that everything was alright.  
  
Sure, Tet's arrival solved their problem, but she still remembered that this entity was the one who dropped them here in the first place. It was hard not to hold a grudge against him, considering everything. But she was also a realist who knew that this was not the time and place to exact vengeance.  
  
Besides, Tet was a god, and she doubted that she could harm him anyway. Adding the Ten Oaths, and that became impossible.  
  
Tet wanted to keep his true identity secret, so Saber would not announce that The One True God had come, no matter how much prestige it might bring. Shame, as his status would guarantee that the Flugels would not question his neutrality as a judge.  
  
"Ahem, so this passerby here, by the name of… Tetris, is our last judge. He just happened to walk outside so we grabbed him here." Saber weaved a cover story in an instant. Tet glared at her, possibly unhappy with the false name, but who cares? Saber would have small pleasure when she could get it, in this case giving a god with funny false name.  
  
"I am not sure what he is, but he looked like Imanity." Azrael said.  
  
"Not a problem!" Illya said. "Tet… I mean Tetris, sit in the judge chair please." She pointed to a table and chairs where Izuna sat.  
  
Tet walked to the table and sat down beside the werebeast girl. He eyed the food in front of Izuna, making her guard the plate with her hands. Izuna was worried that he would take a bite.  
  
Illya also told Jibril to sit with Izuna and Tet. After that, she told them that they would play a game of rock paper scissor, and that the judges should deliberately lose. And the wager if they lose, was that the judges would be fair in deciding the winner. But if Illya lose, nothing would happen.  
  
"Hee? You told me to lose on purpose?" Tet asked. "Let me tell you, I have only tasted defeat once in my life."  
  
"In my castle right? Drop that attitude, we don't have time to waste. I want them to quickly get to cook." Illya said.  
  
"Izuna agreed des. Izuna want to eat faster des." Hatsuse Izuna said between her chewing.  
  
And so the judges lost the rock-paper-scissor game, and swore to judge fairly.  
  
The Flugels presented three members of their race to compete. In response, the Imanity side also presented their competitors.  
  
Let's call the Flugel's representative as Flugel A, Flugel B, and Flugel C. Their names were unimportant anyway.  
  
Meanwhile, here were Imanity's representative:  
  
A man with red clothes who was wearing an apron, named Archer. His apron was pink for some reason.  
  
A woman wih long blue hair and purple robe, also wearing light blue apron. She was called Caster.  
  
And lastly, former princess of Imanity, Stephanie Dora. She also wore apron, but she seemed nervous.  
  
With all judges and participants ready, the match was about to begin.  


**=======break=======**

  
On the judges table.  
  
"It will be some time before the food by the contestants are ready. In the meantime, please enjoy this." Rider delivered a pot full of fried rice. She was also accompanied by maids, who set the table with plates and eating utensils.  
  
"Please do not eat too much. You can not judge if your stomach is full." Rider pointedly looked at Izuna who was ready to pounce at the pot.  
  
Izuna reluctantly withdraw herself. She would eat the fried rice later. For now, she was still eating the sushi, savoring every bite.  
  
Meanwhile, Jibril had sit on the judges table. She didn't need to eat, but the nice aroma of the food inside the pot tempted her. It was not wrong to try, right?  
  
Jibril took some of this food to her plate. She used the spoon to deliver the food from the plate into her mouth.  
  
And for the first time in history, a Flugel knows about the wonder of food.  
  
A Flugel was created with tongue. Ironically, they never used it. They had no need to eat, and so they didn't cook. The other race also didn't develop a culture that can produce delicious food. At most, there were Imanity, but the food they created was only passable. It was reasonable, given the scarcity of spices and the limitation of cooking technology.  
  
It was literally the first time that a Flugel encounter a truly delicious food, a product from humanity's culture on the other world. In the hand of a competent chef, with knowledge of how to prepare ingredients and process them, a top cuisine could be created. Even a simple fried rice, with simpe topping of fried egg and chicken, became a _haute cuisine._  
  
At the same time, she realized something.  
  
_'Ah, we will be defeated.'_  


**=======break=======**

  
For a game between two countries, the audiences were relatively small.  
  
There were several hundred Flugels floating in the air, surrounding the venue. And then there were the palace staffs and some government officials from Elchea. Beside the two, there were no other spectators. The game was not open for public.  
  
All the preparation in the venue was finished. The two countries had declared their readiness. After Saber once again read the rules of the games, Illya and Azrael started the game.  
  
**"Aschente**!" Both Illya and Azrael said, raising their right palms.  
  
"Well then. Game start!" Saber announced.  
  
Immediately after that, Illya shouted, "Berseker!"  
  
The black giant arrived from the air, and landed in the courtyard, scattering dust around him. He walked to the Imanity's side cooking table, which was suspiciously empty of people.  
  
In contrast, Flugels cooking area was already filled with their contestants. The Flugels were surprised and confused, but the reason became obvious a moment later. Berserker picked up the cooking table and threw it to the air. It crashed on the corner of the courtyard, another suspiciously empty area. Berserker hadn't finished yet, as he proceeded to threw everything in Imanity cooking area to the corner, completely clearing it.  
  
All the tables, stoves, cooking hardware, were piled up as broken heap in the corner. The Imanity cooking area became empty clearing. After that, Berserker left, jumping somewhere.  
  
"What are you doing, des?" Izuna said from the judge table. She had surprised expression on her face. They promised her food, but now they destroyed their own kitchen?  
  
Almost everyone had the same expression. The Flugels even forgot to do anything related to the cooking contest, and staring at the opposite side instead. The only one not surprised were the members of the Imanity inner circle.  
  
However, the Flugels could fly, and they had sharp senses. The ones in the air quickly reported what they saw to their sisters on the ground. "The black person before is coming back. He is carrying new table!"  
  
And not only Berserker, even Archer and Lancer had slipped away sometime before, and they also carried things. Berserker arrived at the palace courtyard, and carefully, slowly, putting his load to the ground. Archer and Lancer did the same, and then they left to pick up more things.  
  
Jibril inspected the new half-built kitchen with her eyes. Compared to the Flugels' on the opposite side, even an amateur could tell that the new cooking table looked better. And the other…  
  
"Is that magic stoves, nyan?" Azrael asked.  
  
"It is as you said, that is magic stoves created by the Elves." Saber replied. Azrael, Saber, and Illya sat in the special observer seat. Illya was doing a role as commentator and MC. "Surprise! Miss Saber has said that the Imanity team has changed their cooking equipment, from firewood stoves to magic stoves! Is this a secret weapon against the Flugels?"  
  
But Azrael objected to that. "Hey! Isn't that cheating nyan! Why can you guys change the kitchen nyan?"  
  
Illya just calmly took out a paper and read from it. "Rule number 2 and 3.  
  
Standard cooking utensils and appliances will be provided to both sides by Elchea royal palace. Both sides will get identical things according to royal palace standard.  
  
Participants are free to acquire additional utensils and appliances that they brought themselves.  
  
We provide standard cooking tools as Elchea Royal Palace standard. What you, The Flugels are using is the same as the Royal Palace kitchen. But we just threw out ours and change it for something better."  
  
And then, reacting to another action by Imanity team, Azrael protested again. "Hey, what are you guys bringing there nyan? Is that ingredients nyan? Are they already processed nyan?"  
  
Illya smugly replied, "There is no prohibition saying that the ingredients acquired should be totally raw. That one is a broth, made yesterday. It needs a lot of time to make."  
  
Not that Illya knew anything about cooking though. She was just parroting what Archer said.  
  
"Nyan!" Azrael continued her protest. "Something like prepared broth is allowed nyan?"  
  
"Of course." Saber said. "It was common for cooks to use pre-made broth or stocks, or sometimes sake and fruit essence. It was unreasonable to expect them to ferment alcohol from scratch to be used as ingredients."  
  
"But… but… nyan!" Azrael realized Imanity's shrewd tactic.  
  
In other words, The Imanity Team openly cheating, without really breaking the rules.  
  
By knowing the type of competition beforehand, that it would be cooking competition, their side could do preparation. Collecting the best ingredients, finding the rare spice, deciding the menu, and did preparation for some of the ingredients.  
  
For example, creating ketchup, shoyu, mirin, and soy sauce, because those things didn't exist in this world.  
  
Even if the Flugels was granted the same right, they couldn't use it because their lack of preparation.  
  
And then, using projection magic, Archer created modern cooking utensils. Any deficiency was fixed by Caster. Now they had a stove powered by magic, similar as gas stove in operation, only different in energy source. This created a big advantage, because a stable heat in cooking would result in more consistent taste. The inconsistency of the heat created by firewood stove would result in uncertainty, the food would be overdone for example. Or it was cooked unevenly.  
  
For this plan, they put halt on the plan to refurbish the Elchea Royal Palace Kitchen. Illya and her Servants deliberately kept the kitchen as it was, a medieval era kitchen with primitive appliances and backward technology. After all, the rules stated that both sides would be equally provided with kitchen set with the standard of the Royal Palace Kitchen.  
  
Caster took out a bag full of mana crystals. They would serve as the stove's fuel. She had made the mana crystals as preparation for this event.  
  
The Imanity Team, which consisted of Archer, Caster, Stephanie, Rider, and Lancer, were transporting various things to their new kitchen. Ingredients, spices, cooking appliances, and cooking utensils. After a while, it was finished and they were ready to start cooking.  
  
Archer would be the one cooking, and Caster and Stephanie would be the assistants. The choice was made by simple elimination. None of the other Servants could cook, not to mention Illya, which was totally clueless about cooking. Medea had taken up cooking as a hobby when she lived at Ryuudou Temple, so she knew the basic. She also used knife for her magic, so she was proficient in preparing ingredients. Such as dicing, slicing, peeling, chopping, cubing, etc.  
  
While Stephanie was an amateur, she was at least familiar with the kitchen, used to bake cookies as a hobby. She could handle simple tasks.  


**=======break=======**

  
Stephanie Dora's body moved unconsciously, her hands reacted to the voice of Archer automatically, executing his order with precision. There was no wasted movement. After she finished doing a task, she would jump into another task, sometimes anticipating Archer's order and moved before he spoke.  
  
She was also keeping track of Caster, and try not to get in her way.  
  
Stephanie wondered about her life sometimes. She was born and raised as a princess, receiving high education for future rulers. She learned about politics and the method to socialize with nobles. This path was abruptly cut when her grandfather made the new succession rule.  
  
She tried to enter the gambling competition for the throne, but ended up defeated. The next day, she was suddenly hired as translator for the new queen. Before long, she got promoted into prime minister's aide.  
  
While the work was not easy and she was very busy, Stephanie was truly happy. She was actively contributing to her country's progress. Her education and political insight proved useful in her new job, and even the prime minister herself sometimes delegated important matters to her. Especially about nobles, Saber hated nobles.  
  
So it was with great confusion and dread that she received the news that her job as prime minister aide was over. Suspended, they said. She must hand over all projects that she supervised to someone else. While she was protesting and pleading to the queen and prime minister, that she could do better, to give her one more chance to prove herself, Queen Illya explained that Stephanie had misunderstood.  
  
She was given another job. She would become Archer's assistant in the kitchen.  
  
Her first thought was humiliation. Being demoted from prime minister's aide to a kitchen hand. But then Saber explained that they would play a game of cooking contest, so they should be getting ready. Saber also promised higher salary and a bonus if they won.  
  
Stephanie was placated after that, and anyway, how difficult can it be?  
  
As it turned out, the level of difficulty was hellish.  
  
Archer trained both Stephanie and Caster in cooking. He was very strict, always demanding his assistants to do better. He started from basic things, but the training gradually escalated to a very advance coordination, just like a kitchen in busy restaurant.  
  
Compared to the devilish training, cooking only three dishes was far more easy.  
  
Stephanie still had nightmare about the training. She learned various technique with odd-sounding name, or a type of food preparation that she never heard before. Quenelle? Julienne?  
  
Before, she only knew that a vegetable was chopped. What difference did it make if the direction of the cut change? Now she knew ten or more things that you did with a knife and vegetables.  
  
She followed Archer's order. Mince that, julienne this, ground that, mix this and that. All the orders were familiar to her, having practiced the dishes before.  
  
And when she was done, she said it loud to inform her partners. "Chef, I have finished making the tonkatsu sauce." Stephanie said. "Now I will prepare the batter."  
  
"Yosh." Archer responded, as if expecting her to do just that.  
  
Stephanie once again marveled at her kitchen knife. The knife given to her was very high in quality, its sharpness was perfect. And she had never sharpened it since the day Archer gave it to her, but the blade didn't dull in the slightest.  
  
However, Stephanie was only given the task related to vegetables, condiment, and other trivial task. For cutting the meat, Archer stubbornly refused to let Stephanie or Caster handled it. He also retained his place in front of the stove, cooking the main ingredient.  
  
And he deserved that, Stephanie can't help but admitted it. His skill far surpassed her and Caster. He reigned in the kitchen like the Cooking God. She was sure that Archer can cook alone if needed, he just use assistants to accelerate the cooking process.  
  
And he didn't accept subpar assistant. Archer trained Stephanie until he judged that Stephanie can follow his rhythm and would not slow him down. The same thing also happened to Caster.  
  
Stephanie took out rice from magic rice cooker and put it into three big bowls. Their first dish would be ready soon.  


**=======break=======**

  
As a God, Tet didn't need to eat. He was never hungry, and thus he never ate. He also had no interest in mortal's food.  
  
Today was the first time he ate something. The food called fried rice was very delicious, he was disappointed that his two fellow judges ended up hogging the majority of it.  
  
Anyway, it was also the first time Tet saw a cooking competition. He had spied on Archer when he cooked before, and the training where he drilled various things to his two assistants, but that was through remote viewing.  
  
As he watched, he couldn't help but compare the two sides.  
  
On Imanity side, it was clear to everyone that they were prepared. There were no hesitation in their movement, they knew what they were doing and had every bit of confidence in handling the ingredients. Tet knew that they had actually created the same dish over and over again in their training, hundred of times.  
  
Archer took the spotlight. While his two assistants deserved praise as they harmoniously worked to assist him, there was no question about who was the real chef.  
  
Archer seemed to know how to effortlessly cut a piece of meat, selecting the appropriate parts, and did it with such speed the audience couldn't follow. He also knew when to take it out from the pan, resulting in a perfectly cooked meat.  
  
His timing was also perfect. Cooking three dishes at the same time, he monitored the other two progresses while focusing at one.  
  
Meanwhile, at Flugels side of the kitchen, disaster was in the making.  
  
The Flugels didn't know to cook. That much was clear to the audience.  
  
One didn't need to taste their meals to find out. It was clear from how the Flugels representative behave. Let's list them one by one. Mind you, this was from Tet, the God who never cook nor eat before, so it was certain that it didn't give full account on how the Flugels screwed up.  
  
First, as they had no ingredients, the Flugels hunted wild game and fishes. Animals were not protected by Ten Oaths and they hunted in the ownerless land. Their ability to teleport and their high physical ability meant that the ingredients were gathered quickly. At this tage, everything was still alright.  
  
Next, they disagree about the menu, so each of them would cook one dish.  
  
Flugel A decided to make roasted pig. It was simple. You just need to hang pig carcass above fire and roasted it for hours. Beside that, just need to stuff some vegetables and spices inside, and sprinkle spices outside.  
  
The problem was, no recipe books mention anything about how to dismantle an animal before cooking.  
  
The art of dismantling mainly taught through oral tradition or from butcher to apprentice. Hunters or workers of slaughterhouse knew it, from being taught or from experience. The Flugels had no culture of hunting or eating, so of course they didn't know.  
  
Roasting a pig without removing its fur was a mistake. The smell of burnt fur seeped to the meat, ruining the taste.  
  
Not bleeding the pig was bad. The blood quickly rot and accumulate poison, and the taint would spread to the meat.  
  
Not removing the internal organs was bad. The intestines contain poisonous substance, and the taint spread to the rest of the meat. The urine bladder further contributed to the contamination.  
  
Worse, Flugel A was afraid that she would overburn the meat, so she set the fire small. The meat would be undercooked. With the moisture from the blood hindering the heat, it would be a miracle if the roasted pig came out alright.  
  
Tet had decided not to eat Flugel A dish.  
  
Flugel B had similar idea with Flugel A. She roasted fishes on charcoal burner. A simple but genuine cooking, with less chance of mistake.  
  
It was unfortunate that she fell to the same mistake as Flugel A. No books told her that you need to remove fish guts before cooking it. Aside from the poisonous substance inside, fish guts would create fishy stench, ruining the fish meat.  
  
Of course, Tet only knew this because Archer had taught about it to Stephanie and Caster. Come to think of it, did Flugel B clean the scales from the fish? Apparently not.  
  
Tet decided that he would pass this one too.  
  
Flugel C decided to make fried chicken.  
  
And you might think Flugel C would fall to the same trap as the other two. She did, but in different way.  
  
As she clumsily cut the chicken carcass to find the necessary meat, she got confused. What to do with these feathers that inconvenienced her? What to do with these entrails and organs? Too much fat! Too many bones! Which part should be extracted and fried?  
  
And the blood of the chicken made everything messy.  
  
As she hesitated more and more, the audience confidence in her also fell.  
  
She unskillfully cut the the chicken, and the knife pierced the intestines. The meat was ruined, but Flugel C didn't know that. Still, Tet grimaced and decided that he would also skip this one.  
  
Flugel C finally got out some bloody chicken meat. Throwing the rest of the carcass, she put the meat into a tray.  
  
"Umm... now coating the chicken meat with flour. Which one is flour?" Flugel C curiously inspected the many small pot.  
  
Back to Flugel A, she had decided that it was time to sprinkle seasoning to the pig. Deciding that the more the better, she sprinkled all kind of things. Sugar, salt, pepper, chili powder, all was poured from their container.  
  
Flugel B on the other hand, knowing her limitation well, decided on the other extreme. She didn't know the name of the spices and how to use them. She knew only the basic like sugar and salt, but what if she added the wrong amount? So she opted not to use any at all.  
  
Flugel C had encyclopedic knowledge of ingredient and spices. She easily mixed the flour with seasoning. And then she coated the chicken meat with the flour batter. Unfortunately, the meat was wet with blood, so the flour batter couldn't be attached evenly. The flour also too thick.  
  
The audience, Flugels included, now smelled two different aromas. From Imanity side they smelled appetizing aroma of food and spices. In the contrary, there was a foul stench coming from the Flugels side of the kitchen.  
  
The Flugels hovering in the audience had frustrated expression on their faces.  


**=======break=======**

  
"Oooh what is this, Imanity team finished their first dish!" Illya shouted to the magic microphone. Miss Stephanie is now delivering three portion of the first dish to the judges table! It is a dish served inside a big bowl. I wonder what is inside?"  
  
The bowls were closed with lids. The judges curiously looked at the bowls put in front of them.  
  
The first one who moved was Izuna. She took off the lid and saw what was inside.  
  
Steam came out from the bowl, obscuring her view. When the steam cleared, she saw sparkling golden egg, meat, and rice.  
  
"Katsudon!" Izuna inadvertently exclaimed.  
  
Pork Cutlet Rice Bowl (Katsudon), a dish made by deep frying pork meat coated with flour. The pork cutlet (katsu) then cooked in a stock containing various seasoning, and then beaten egg poured on it. The cooked katsu was taken out and put on a rice inside a bowl.  
  
"Sniff sniff." Izuna smelled the enticing aroma. She was curious about another food from her homeland, but she didn't waste time taking her chopstick and wolfed down the meal.  
  
"Nom nom nom."  
  
Seeing that, the other two judges also took off the lids and began eating.  
  
"Nom nom nom."  
  
It's oily. It's greasy. The crispy katsu melded with fried egg texture, creating sensation of cheap food. But even when you felt guilty eating cheap junk food, you can't stop eating. The herbs sprinkled on top adding rich aroma, creating fresh taste in the mouth.  
  
"Oh look at that, the judges are eating the Imanity first dish with such appetite." Illya announced again. "The dish name is Pork Cutlet Rice Bowl. Areeee? It seems even a Flugel like to eat our food!"  
  
Jibril was eating the katsudon with gusto. The more she ate, the more irresistible the food became. She ignored the hateful stare of her sisters. All that mattered was the food she was eating.  
  
Tet was also no different. He tasted his second food ever, and the more he ate, the more hungry he was. The strong flavor of the meat was balanced by the rice. He detected some kind of fruit cooked together with the rice, adding a slight acid flavor, and it created refreshing aftertaste.  
  
The sauce was a balance between sweet and salty. Each time he swallowed, his hands automatically deliver another spoon to his mouth, creating endless cycle.  
  
The three judges were shoveling the katsudon into their mouths, and with such a rapid pace eventually their bowls became empty.  
  
"Seconds!" Izuna said.  
  
"Oya? The werebeast judge ask for another serving." Illya spoke to the microphone. "But each judge supposed to get only one serving. What should we do?" Illya said teasingly.  
  
"It's not a problem. I have three more servings here. Actually this is supposed to be given to the announcer," Archer said with a smirk. "But maybe if a judge give me perfect ten for this dish, I will give her another serving."  
  
Izuna jumped out and stood on her chair. "Me! I announce my score! This dish got perfect ten!"  
  
"Wait!" Tet also stood up, although he didn't stand on the chair. "My score is perfect ten."  
  
"Mmmmph!" Jibril tried to say something but her mouth was still full. After she swallowed, she said "Perfect ten! Give me that!"  
  
"Wait!" Illya said hastily. "That's my share!"  
  
The scene descended into chaos for a time, but Archer managed to calm Illya and Saber by promising to cook another portion for them later.  
  
After the judges ate all the second serving of katsudon, Archer delivered the second dish. It was Grilled Salmon plus lemon sauce with Mashed Potato and vegetables.  
  
Izuna had never heard of lemon as a sauce base. She sniffed the food. After confirming that it didn't smell bad, she tried eating it. After all, the chef had already made several delicious dish before.  
  
Jibril and Tet also tried eating.  
  
"Mmmmm. What is this?" Jibril said.  
  
"The fish is delicious!" Tet said  
  
"Nom nom nom." Izuna didn't said anything, but increase her pace of taking a bite.  
  
"Oooh! The second dish is also received well by the judge!" Illya said to the audience.  
  
Tet savored the salmon, chewing it slowly. The tender meat made his tongue danced, and the crispy texture of the skin made his teeth pranced. The acidic taste of lemon sauce surprisingly went well with the taste of salmon.  
  
The potato and vegetables complement the salmon perfectly. Something was mixed with the mashed potatoes to enhance the flavor. The vegetables were also processed well, softening the impact of the other component. The whole dish was made by making the components balance each other.  
  
"Perfect Ten." Tet said, before he even finished eating.  
  
Izuna glared at him for speaking first, and then she scrutinized the Imanity kitchen, searching for a hint of second serving. She found one!  
  
"Sorry, but no second serving this time." Archer said. "The extra serving is only one portion so it's unfair to give it to the judges. I think the Flugels leader want to try it?"  
  
"Me, nyan?" Azrael said, confused. "You want to give that to me?"  
  
Stephanie delivered it to Azrael's table, and because of that Azrael got a hateful glare from many people.  
  
"Tch. Ten points." Izuna said, and then she resumed eating.  
  
Jibril stopped eating and sighed. "Ten points." She was gloomy for a moment, and then shrugged and resumed eating.  
  
"And that was another perfect score for Imanity!" Illya said. "It was just over one and half hour since the game begin, but Imanity team had delivered two dishes! What happened to the Flugels team?"  
  
The Flugels team, now under more pressure, tried harder. But the result was the opposite. They became more nervous and made more mistakes.  
  
The Flugels in the audience started to throw insults to their own team. The Flugels representatives didn't handle that well and insulted back to the audience. "Shut up, as if you can do better!"  
  
While the Flugels fought between themselves, the Imanity team finished their third dish.  
  
"Oooh, that looks delicious. What is the name of this dish?" Illya asked.  
  
Archer answered. "Venison with chocolanze sauce."  
  
After hearing this Izuna was shocked. She knew about venison, it was just deer meat, so nothing special. But chocolanze? Wasn't that sweets? That was sweets made from Kakaon fruit. The original taste was bitter, so it was usually mixed with milk and sugar. Why did you use it as a sauce for venison?  
  
Eeh, but the chef had proven himself four times already! Izuna didn't hesitate and started eating.  
  
The moment she tasted it, she experienced something that can only be named a foodgasm.  
  
Venison cooked with red wine and then chocolanze sauce was added. The red wine added depth of flavor, and the chocolanze surprisingly went well with the red wine. The fragrant aroma, the savory meat juice, the tender meat, all creating a harmony.  
  
Tet also start eating. When the meat entered his mouth, it was as if a magic of Old Deus sneaked into his mouth.  
  
The True God of Disboard felt like a music started playing in his head. A music of nature, of vast grassland and boundless sky, weaving a symphony carried of by the wind. Yeah, he was an actual god, maybe he should sing and let everyone hear this melody! Every soul on Disboard will hear!  
  
He managed to come to his senses before it happened though. So scary, he almost lost control of himself and made an impromptu musical performance as divine oracle.  
  
Jibril also ate the venison. She started to shiver and squealed. Her eyes closed, savoring every nectar in her mouth, showing pure bliss in her face.  
  
"Something weird has happened!" Illya shouted. "The judges are all closing eyes and shaking! What kind of phenomena is this?"  
  
Soon, their eyes opened again, and then they took another bite, and then the same thing happened. They would close their eyes and chewed silently. This continued until everything in the plates disappear.  
  
"It's gone…" Jibril said, forlornly looking at her plate.  
  
Tet was the first one who came back from the illusionary paradise. Maybe because he was a God. "I announce my score. Perfect ten."  
  
Izuna and Jibril was awakened by Tet's voice, and they each also gave their judgment. "Ten points." , "Ten."  
  
"Do you hear that folks! Imanity team has got perfect score for all their dishes! Ninety points total! What will team Flugels do?"  
  
As if on cue, Flugel B delivered her dish to the judges table. It was grilled fish.  
  
"Ugh…" Izuna groaned. She was full from eating all the delicious food, so she had no appetite.  
  
But that was not entirely her fault. The appearance of the cuisine didn't appeal to her. It was also not smelled good. Something smelled too fishy.  
  
Also, it was actually Archer's dirty tactic, making the judges full before they taste the opponent's cooking.  
  
She played at the fish with her chopstick, stabbing it, taking a piece of it, and then sniffing it. She dropped the piece without eating it and declared. "Zero points."  
  
"Nyaaaaan!" Azrael screamed. "You haven't eaten it so why you give score nyaaan!"  
  
"Hmmph." Izuna pushed the plate away. "If you believe it is delicious why don't you eat it yourself."  
  
"Nyaan, I will just do that nyan!" Azrael sauntered to the judges table and took a bite from Izuna's plate.  
  
"Woohooookk." The sounds of Azrael vomiting could be heard by everyone. Flugel B now had a pale face, wondering what went wrong.  
  
Tet didn't touch the food at all.  
  
Jibril, out of loyalty to her sisters, eat a whole spoon. She swallowed. And then her face turned blue.  
  
**"nolvae nestad mia baid"** Jibril activated a spell, targeted at herself.  
  
After that she was silent, refusing to meet anyone's eyes, head hanging low.  
  
But the Flugels in the audience knew about the spell. "It was healing spell."  
  
"But why do little sister Jibril need to heal herself?"  
  
"Is it because she choked on the fish bone?" "Impossible!"  
  
"It must be… the meat! It harm her?" "How can that be?"  
  
A voice then stopped the commotion, cutting through like thunder. "Zero points. The fish is tainted by poison." Tet declared.  
  
And before the crowd went mad again, he took the opportunity to said another thing. "And the other two dishes also got zero points. They are contaminated."  
  
The audience exploded into explosion of chatter and conversation.  
  
In the middle of chaos, one small voice was uttered. "One…. One point for Flugels team." It was Jibril, grinding her teeth and wearing painful expression.  
  
Despite the declaration by Tet, the other two Flugels defiantly presented their dish.  
  
The fried chicken by Flugel C was a little burnt and black on the outside. But the inside was still undercooked.  
  
"Thriisss iiisrr raaawrrr!" said Izuna when she sampled the fried chicken, spitting the offending food to the ground. She pushed her plate away and said, "zero."  
  
Jibril ate the fried chicken, swallowing it, and then perform another healing spell.  
  
"One point."  
  
"And with the second dish, the total score for team Flugels now is two points! Let's see how the third dish came up!" Illya yelled to the mic.  
  
The third dish by Flugel A was a whole roasted pig. She brought it to the judges table.  
  
Even from the distance, the smell was unbearable. Burnt fur had that unpleasant smell, and it seeped to the meat.  
  
Izuna closed her nose with her left hand and tried cutting it with knife. A disgusting stench of rotten blood and metal escaped outside.  
  
"Uwaaaah." Izuna ran away. The sense of smell of the Werebeast was far more powerful than human, so she didn't take it well.  
  
Jibril only looked at the roasted pig with sad expression. "One point, for effort."  
  
Illya didn't waste time and announce the final score. "I think we don't need to ask Hatsuse Izuna's opinion, her action was enough. So the total score is 90-3, and the winner is Imanity!"  
  
There was no cheer. Not even an applause. The Flugels were having a bad mood collectively as a race, even Azrael was now openly crying. As for Imanity side..., well you would be intimidated by hundreds of flying angel of death above you, and celebrating victory under that circumstances was not a bright idea.  


**=======break=======**

  
**Ding! You have completed the quest : "Cooking Contest against Flugel"**  
  
**You got 599.000 EXP**  
  
**You Leveled Up x 17**  
  
**Reward gained: An alliance of your kingdom with the Flugels against non-Exceed creatures.**  
  
**Ding! Relationship with Flugels -500**  


********=======break=======** ** ** **

  
The aftermath of the cooking competition was predictable, for an extent. The Flugels admitted their debt as per their wager. They would help Imanity in a fight against race other than the 16 Exceed.  
  
Jibril came back to her sisters on Avant Heim.  
  
God Tet vanished without anyone noticing.  
  
And Hatsuse Izuna returned back to the Eastern Federation embassy, reluctantly.  
  
Everything was normal and things return to the peaceful condition…. That did not happen.  
  
For some reason, Avant Heim didn't wander off somewhere else, but still floating above Elchea.  
  
And then, The Flugels started to follow Archer everywhere. They demanded him to 'give away' the secret of cooking. Or maybe it was cuisine magic. Or maybe it was a magic artifact, able to make its wielder a great cook.  
  
Finally, Archer conceded. He would instruct the Flugels in cooking. The interested Flugels need to register, and classes should be divided depending on the participants number. He needed to arrange a schedule.  
  
And then the entire Flugels race registered. Apparently they wanted to take revenge by defeating him in cooking. Archer was a little annoyed, but he already gave his word.  
  
Another preconditions was put forth by Saber. Because the lack of food ingredients in Elchea, it would be disaster if the Flugels buy a lot of ingredients and exhausted the food reserve. The Flugels were required to bring the ingredients from outside Elceha, either by hunting or trading.  
  
But the food that they produce during practice must be eaten by themselves, or sold to Elchea citizen. They can also give it for free.  
  
At first, The Flugels cannot cook at all, not even a stir fry vegetables. But using their sharp intelligence and superor physical strength, they learned the art of cooking rapidly. After two weeks, the citizen of Elchea happily eat the meals that the Flugels produced.  
  
A very beneficial thing for Elceha, because they got free food! Flugels didn't really care about money, all they want was a feedback for their cooking skill. As a result, the food reserve of Elchea decrease in slower rate than normal. And the imported food that they acquired still remained.  
  
Meanwhile, Saber executed the secret operation in Eastern Federation. Slowly, without being noticed by the Werebeast government, the noose around Eastern Federation slowly tightened.  
  
And then three months after the cooking contest, Elchea Kingdom challenged the Eastern Federation.  


****=======chapterend=======** **

  
****Chocolanze is the name of isekai chocolate.****  
  
****Bacteria is poisonous****


	12. Cheat Code

**Cheat Code: Unlimited Gold Works**  
  
The Fox Shrine Maiden, [Miko-sama, was listening her subordinates' reports. She clenched her teeth and gripped her chair hard, seething in frustration. Her fiery gaze cowed the country's officials in the room.  
  
It was obvious to the officials why she was angry. The Eastern Union was in crisis. Specifically, a food crisis.  
  
"We have confirmed that the Weasel Trade Union sold all of their food stock to a delegation from Imanity. They sold wheat, rice, barley, dairy products, meat…. The list goes on. The payment was in gold bars, paid on the spot. The price was overall 25% higher than market price. The buyer also took care about the goods delivery." One nervous bureaucrat was reading from a document.  
  
"The Cat Eared Tribe Merchant Union did the same, with price 40% higher than market price. The Rabbit Hole Corp. sold various foodstuff for around 50% higher than market price. And so on, major companies sold all of their stock, and received payment in gold."  
  
"And why," Miko-sama asked him, "did they think selling all of their food supplies a smart thing to do?" She said with a growl.  
  
The bureaucrat answered, sweating heavily. "I understand why they did it, even if I don't agree, of course. There is a rich customer willing to buy in bulk, with higher price than the market. They even arranged their own transport for delivering the goods. When will such opportunity to gain profit happen again? Of course, they didn't know that this buyer also approach other merchants and buy from them…"  
  
"How can they be so stupid? It's obvious that there's something suspicious if one buyer purchase massive amount of food! And willing to pay above the standard price!"  
  
"Uh… actually, there is a reason for that." The bureaucrat wiped his sweaty forehead with handkerchief. "The buyer has official identification, and bearing a letter from the new queen of Imanity. The story that the delegation provide is that, Imanity has food crisis, and the queen wishes to alleviate her people's hunger by buying food from outside the country. For that, the queen had stripped all of the castle's wealth bare and dug out any hidden treasure. The gold that the delegation brought, they claimed that it was all they could gather, just to buy a little food for the people of Imanity."  
  
Miko-sama's eyes widened. She understood the rest of the story. She listened more to the bureaucrat explanation, confirming her deduction.  
  
"Of course, the merchants saw this as golden opportunity. A weak and vulnerable customer, desperate to buy, and bringing lots of gold. Food commodities were somewhat risky, being perishable, so many merchants liked to sell them fast and early. A few of them might be feeling a little pity hearing about Imanity situation, and saw no problem in selling some food. After all, the amount they sold wouldn't be enough to feed the whole country for long."  
  
"The information also matched the one we had, that a new queen is chosen and Imanity had a food crisis. There is no way its agriculture sector could provide food for all of its citizen. And the delegation acted in secret, because, uh, the queen doesn't want to lose face if it was known that they buy food from other country. A very plausible reason."  
  
He cleared his throat and continued. "The merchants also want to keep it secret from each other, lest they, uhh, compete by giving lower price. In retrospect, it is weird that Imanity delegation didn't even bargain or trying to check the price to other merchant and finding better deal, but the merchants are just happy to get profit that they didn't think much about it."  
  
"And why should they? By the delegation's admission, the merchant contacted was the first merchant they talked to, because of luck or reputation. The delegation seemed to be desperate they will agree to exorbitant price and in so much hurry that they couldn't check the price with other merchants. Of course, now we knew that there were at least thirty such delegations, buying food from major Merchant Companies in secret."  
  
Miko-sama sighed and asked. "And the merchants didn't talk to each other, and that's the source of the problem, right?"  
  
"Not initially, no." The bureaucrat explained with severe expression. "But eventually someone bragged about netting huge profit and the workers gossiped, so finally the merchants realized that there's something wrong. Each of them had sold truckload of food to Imanity, and each one believed that they're the only one. It was alright when only one major company sold all of food supplies, because the other companies would have supplies to sell to the market. But if every major companies did it, then there will be food scarcity. But by the time they realized that Eastern Union food supply is lacking, it's already too late."  
  
"Aside from the delegations buying food in secret, there were also fake merchants buying food in bulk from the minor merchant companies in the countryside, in city branch, in regional capital. Some of them disguised as werebeasts so nobody had any suspicion that the food they bought will be brought out of country."  
  
Miko-sama frowned, and asked, "What about the border guards? Or the harbor guards? I am sure if they transported so much food, someone will notice."  
  
Another person stepped forward. A lion tribe. He was in charge of Defense and Home Security. He answered, "there is no sign of cargo witnessed in the harbor or in the continent border. In fact, the guards testified that there were no Imanity citizen crossing the border in recent times."  
  
Miko-sama was contemplative for a while. Finally she asked the dreaded question. "How long do we have?"  
  
The first bureaucrat answered. "The problem was with staple food such as wheat or rice, which have long time to harvest. And fruits, vegetables, all the stocks and preserved foods were gone. We can try stockpiling fishes and foraging for fruits, it will prolong our….ah. But we must eat rice or bread, or at least potatoes, fruit and meat can't sustain us in the long run, the rate of acquiring them won't keep up with the people consumption. So… maybe 1 month, no, two months if we start rationing the remaining supply. After that… there will be starvation."  
  
Miko-sama was nursing her temple. To think that, even in the era of Ten Oaths, her country could be pushed to the brink of annihilation by a simple reason. Food.  
  
"What about national storage? I remember we kept a granary for situation like this?" She drummed her fingers on the armchair.  
  
"Yes… well. The civil official in charge, knowing that there is abundant harvest and a surplus in the market, decided that this year there is no need to stock too much. He…." The bureaucrat wiped his eyebrow. "He decided to sell some of the food reserve to Imanity, for a ridiculous price of three times the market price. He reasoned that he would get praised by adding to the national coffers. I had the evidence that he actually sold them for more than that, and pocketing the money for himself. He was already captured and waiting for punishment in jail. That is… uhh.., my estimate earlier was taking account of this fact. Unfortunately, if not for him selling those food, we might be able to survive for three months, enough time to get another harvest of some rice or corn."  
  
Miko-sama groaned. She started formulating strategy. "We just need to weather it for three months. After that there will be new harvest of corn, and then other staple foods will be harvested in subsequent months. If we ration foods and maximize fishing industry…. And eat the livestock…. It will be tough, but we can make it."  
  
' _This is not the end for Eastern Union. We are not cornered yet_.'  
  
Another person stepped forward, nervously speaking. "I beg you pardon, Miko-sama. I have some reports that you must hear…."  
  
Miko-sama signaled him to speak.  
  
"There is a mysterious merchant, or maybe several merchants buying harvested products from farmers. Which is something normal, as merchants usually did that. But there is anomaly. The timing is too soon, the grain haven't been harvested yet, and they offer too much money."  
  
Miko-sama's expression turned pale. She could guess what was happening.  
  
The bureaucrat continued, "The farmers signed trade contract that they will hand out their entire harvest to this merchant for the next season. The merchant paid the farmers upfront in gold, with double the usual price. Sometimes triple. Of course they didn't know until later that other farmers were also approached."  
  
For the farmers who usually got cheated or exploited by merchants when selling their products, this seemed like a better deal. And they could pay government tax in gold instead of a portion of their harvest.  
  
"Almost all big farms signed this contract. We calculated, that in next harvest season, 80% of agricultural product will be gone. Presumably, to Imanity."  
  
There was no need to mention that the food crisis would continue.  
  
"May I speak, Miko-sama?" a fox eared male stepped forward. He was the Trade and Finance Minister.  
  
After he got permission, he delivered his report in stone-faced expression. "Some time ago, a delegation from Imanity propose a trade agreement. They wished to buy food for the next harvest season."  
  
Miko-sama closed her eyes and used her left palm to cover her face. She didn't like where this report was going.  
  
"They wished to buy a certain amount of food, which was not much in grand scheme of things. It was just a minor, routine transaction. They mostly just wanted staple foods such as rice and wheat. Our projection showed that it's at most only 5% of the total harvest next season."  
  
"Of course I at that time didn't know that someone sold our national food reserves. Or that the farmers had sold their products in contract. Normally, we would have enough and more to deliver food as agreed just from gathering the tax."  
  
Miko-sama interrupted him. "You had signed the trade agreement?"  
  
The Minister answered stoically. "Yes. It was within my authority and it was not a big matter that need your attention. As I said, I judged it as minor and routine affairs. But now…. The farmers will pay their tax in gold next harvest season. Even if we managed to gather food from tax from the farmers who haven't signed that trade contract, we have to sell it to Imanity. That 5% of total harvest looked gigantic now."  
  
Miko-sama was groaning in frustration but another minister stepped forward. A beaverkin. "I have more bad news, Miko-sama." He was the Fisheries and Sea Resources Minister.  
  
"Several Fishing Guilds had signed contract to deliver fish products for the next three months to anonymous party. There will be lack of fishes that can be supplied to our population during this three months."  
  
Obviously, Miko-sama's plan to let her people survive on fish was bust.  
  
"Permission to speak." Another Minister said. She was a wolf eared tribe, The Minister of Industry. "I got a bad feeling after knowing about food scarcity, and checked some things. Our producers of meat, poultry, eggs, and milk, and various other food commodities; they had signed a trade contract to supply a mysterious merchant for the next three or four months."  
  
Miko-sama facepalmed, hard. "Let me guess. All of them had no food to sell for to the market for three months?"  
  
"Not exactly." The female wolf eared answered. "It was a big purchase, but at most only amounted to 30% of total production of each individual producer. It will not be a problem normally."  
  
Miko-sama snarled in frustration. "But in food crisis even that 30% is significant."  
  
The female wolf eared nodded. "We are swimming in gold right now, Imanity paid most of the transaction upfront. But people already noticed the lack of food availability in the market, and the more informed merchants already stockpiled their remaining stocks and raised price. The average value of gold is falling. Inflation steadily rises. We managed to keep it quiet now, but soon, there will be panic."  
  
The room fell into gloomy silence for a while. And then Miko-sama asked in weak voice. "We have gold. Can we buy food from other countries?"  
  
The fox eared Trade and Finance Minister answered her. "Unfortunately, no. I sent feelers around. Other countries fell to similar situation, though not as severe as ours. Their surplus of food was bought off by mysterious merchant. And somehow they knew that we are in food crisis. Now they jealously guarded their food reserves, to prevent getting to the same crisis as us."  
  
After a moment of thinking, he continued, "It is as if…. Someone does it just to prevent us buying food…"  
  
Miko-sama furrowed her brow. Yes, all of this situation was one big conspiracy, designed to corner Eastern Union without territory game, entirely bypassing the Ten Oaths.  
  
It was Imanity who did this, but it must be obeying a higher power. It must have surrendered to another country. There was no possibility that Imanity had the astronomical amount of gold used in this operation. Other party must have supplied them with the gold.  
  
It could be the elves. The rumor said that an elf ruled in Imanity from behind the queen. Or it could be Avant Heim, the Flugels. Rumor said that they were in Imanity now. It's hard to discern the truth about Imanity recently. All of its citizens were loyal because of Ten Oaths, so the spies couldn't just buy information as usual.  
  
"Can we just…. Not delivering the food?" she said in weak voice.  
  
"The contracts, wisely, included a penalty clause for breach of contract, with very unfavorable condition for us. Our merchants agreed because they were confident that they could meet it. I say that breaching the contracts would bring us to worse situation and accelerate our demise. People could be sold as slaves just to pay for penalty."  
  
On one hand, death by starvation. On another hand, an entire race enslaved.  
  
But what was the purpose of this? There was no benefit in just driving Eastern Union to the wall. There must be a demand….  
  
"Report! An urgent message from our embassy in Imanity!" an official came in with an announcement. "Vice Ambassador Hatsuse Ino requests an urgent teleconference. He said, Imanity representative had wagered Race Piece and challenged our country."  
  
So it came.  
  
With a wager like that, Imanity would demand something big for Eastern Union wager. Maybe its entire territory in the continent, which would drive Eastern Union into another crisis for natural resources. Or worse, its sovereignty.  
  
But now she had no other choice. If she rejected the game, her entire country would die slowly by starvation. However, if she won, the entire land, people, resources that Imanity had, would be hers. Including all the food they had purchased.  
  
"Call Hatsuse Ino. We will hear the details."


	13. The King's Plan

All the title and sub-titles in this chapter are the name of theme song and OST from No Game No Life. Sing along as you read!

 

===start===

 

 

**The King's Plan  
**

_We’ll overcome  
All of this world’s hatred,  
So abandon any false sense of justice!_  
  
**Game Start**  
  
Today once again, Hatsuse Ino, the Vice Ambassador of the Eastern Federation for the Elchea Kingdom, received Kurami Zell in the Embassy reception room. Similar scenes had happened multiple times for the last three months.  
  
Usually, Kurami came to negotiate trade agreements or to take care merchants' permit to operate in Eastern Federation. But today, she didn't seem to bring any documents.  
  
There were only three persons in the room. Ino, Kurami, and Izuna who noisily chewed on the snacks brought by Kurami. She hungrily devoured them without restraint.  
  
For the past week, the Embassy had implemented food rationing for all of its residents. This was because of information that suddenly Eastern Federation faced unexpected food shortage. It was hard especially for Izuna, who liked to eat and had tasted Divine Food.  
  
Thus, she ate all the food that Kurami brought for her. She always asked for Kurami to bring food since the cooking competition.  
  
"Cough." Hatsuse Ino started the conversation. "So, what is your business today, Kurami-sama?"  
  
Kurami didn't answer right away. Instead, she stood up and walked to the big screen displaying Eastern Federation map. Facing them, she pointed to the map and said,  
  
"By the power invested to me as Elchea Kingdom Representative, I delivered this message to Eastern Federation. Elchea Kingdom hereby challenge the Eastern Federation to a game between countries!"  
  
"What? Kurami-sama, even for a stupid bald monkey, that's foolish!" Ino said in surprise. Didn't she know that the previous Elchea King played and lost eight times against Eastern Federation?  
  
As if she didn't hear him, Kurami kept saying. "What we want is everything you have on this continent!"  
  
"Wha!" Ino exclaimed. He subtly listened to Kurami's heartbeat. It was steady and without any disturbance. He asked again, "Are you really serious?"  
  
"Why won't I be?" Kurami grinned in challenge. "Ah, for our bet, if we lose then we will give you this." She put down a bronze coin on the table. It was the smallest currency denomination circulating in Elchea. "I trust that this is enough?"  
  
"You hairless ape!" Ino shouted. "Do you think our territory just worth one bronze coin!"  
  
Kurami pretended to be surprised and said, "Oh is that not enough?" She put down another coin. "Here, I double my wager. Satisfied?"  
  
Ino shouted again. "The hell are you playing?"  
  
"Still not enough? You are so greedy." Kurami said and she poured her leather pouch content on the table, piling bronze coins on top of each other. "Here, twenty times my initial offer. Oh, and one more thing. We don't want our memory erased."  
  
Ino silently pondered. She must know about the previous games between Elchea and Eastern Federation, that's how she knew about memory erasure, but why she still pressed on, challenging The Werebeast on an unwinnable game?  
  
No matter. He simply couldn't accept this challenge. The wager was not of equal value.  
  
"I refuse..." His sentence stopped midway, seeing Kurami put another thing on the table.  
  
It was a crystalline construct, shining with silver-blue light, its radiance increasing every second.  
  
"You can't refuse if I include this in our wager," Kurami said, smiling ferociously.  
  
"It can't be..." Ino said, staring at the shining object. Izuna also stopped eating and stared at the crystal.  
  
It was an object described in the legend. A crystal chess piece, given to each Exceed Race by The One True God, symbolizing their membership to the sixteen intelligent races.  
  
A Race Piece.  
  
An object bestowed to the current official representative of the race. It can be used as a wager but betting it meant betting everything the race had as a whole. Their belongings, their territory, and also their very life. If they lost the race piece, the winner can do anything to the loser without being restrained by the Ten Oaths.  
  
Ino also looked at Kurami’s chest. Noticing Ino’s look, Kurami slightly opened her blouse, showing the glowing mark on her chest. That was the sign that the Imanity’s Race Piece had been wagered.  
  
Kurami withdrew the Race Piece and said, “Well, I guess you can’t decide by yourself. Contact your capital and tell us your decision later.” With that, she left the place.  
  
Hatsuse Ino’s mind was in a panic, but he quickly gave a command to his staffs. He investigated the situation in Elchea. If a Race Piece had been genuinely wagered, there would be chaos on the street.  
  
Soon enough, his staffs returned bearing the news. The glowing mark had appeared, seemingly on every imanity. There was a commotion when the mark appeared. Thus, solidifying the claim that the Race Piece was really wagered.  
  
With that information, Ino hastily went to the teleconference room to contact the Eastern Federation.  


 

**====break====**

  
  
**There's A Reason**  
  
“Huahahahaha!”  
  
In a dark conference room, a little girl was laughing.  
  
The little girl had white silver long hair and ruby red eyes. She wore a white royal dress and golden crown decorated with jewels. She was watching the projected screen on the wall, showing the Embassy of Eastern Federation.  
  
“How’s that! My plan is brilliant!” The girl, Illyasviel von Einzbern, The Queen of Elchea, addressed the people in the room. “Now we just need to defeat her in a game and that’s it!”  
  
“Umm…” Kurami, the government of Elchea special staff, raised her hand, asking permission to speak. She had been controlling the meat golem that they sent to the Embassy, but after the meat golem entered the carriage, her duty was over. “I did as you instructed, but what is the purpose of challenging them like that?”  
  
“Hem hem!” Illya smugly raised her chin and replied in a singsong voice. “No other way, I will explain my grand plan to you. Be grateful!”  
  
Illya’s plan was like this: By sending a meat golem controlled by Kurami, and provoking Eastern Federation into a game, Elchea could play a game between countries without any risk at all.  
  
Why was that? Because obviously, the Race Piece that the meat golem showed was a fake. A very convincing fake created by magic, complete with light show, but still a fake. And because neither the meat golem or Kurami had the authority to wager the Race Piece, the bet was invalid.  
  
Illya took care not to authorize anything to Kurami. And Kurami also never said anything about Race Piece. Kurami only said “this”, and she meant a crystal king piece, not the Imanity Race Piece.  
  
So, if they lost the game, all they lost was twenty bronze coins and a crystal trinket.  
  
And the glowing mark on every Elchea Kingdom citizen? Easy, magic. We got Caster here, as long as she had time to prepare, something like that was a child’s play.  
  
“How about that? I am a genius, right?” Illya puffed up with pride.  
  
However, the Servants present didn’t praise her. They were still watching the screen with serious expressions. Only Stephanie spoke to Illya.  
  
“Umm, Your Majesty,” Stephanie said. “I think that’s not going to work.”  
  
“Ha?” Illya scowled “What do you mean not working? Didn’t you see how that old fox freaking out?”  
  
“Illya.” Saber suddenly said. “Watch and learn, you will see soon why your plan will not work.”  
  
The screen showed Hatsuse Ino reporting to the female fox, the ruler of Eastern Federation known as Miko-sama. He reported every detail, including the phenomena where Elchea citizens’ chest were glowing.  
  
“But Ino,” Miko-sama asked. “Did she say that it was a Race Piece?”  
  
“That is….” Ino was lost for words.  
  
“There is a possibility that it’s not a Race Piece, they are just misleading us, making us think that they wagered a Race Piece,” Miko-sama said. “Remember that they now have Elves and Flugels at their side. Who knows what can they do.”  
  
“Grrrr.” Illya banged her fist at the table, angry because her scheme was seen through.  
  
“Then what shall we do, Miko-sama?” Ino asked for instruction.  
  
“We accept their game,” Miko-sama answered.  
  
“Eh?” Ino was surprised. “But you just said that the wager is fake?”  
  
“It is. But that doesn’t mean anything.” Miko-sama smiled ferociously. “We can just confirm again before the start of the game. The Elchea Kingdom wagered its Race Piece. And then whoever the true representative must come out to said the oath, otherwise, the game will be invalid.”  
  
“Wait!” Illya shouted to the screen. “That’s cheating!”  
  
“It is not,” Kurami said to Illya. “Remember, we do the same thing when we held off the cooking contest. The terms of the game and the stake was confirmed once again before the game. If we have a game with Eastern Federation, at that time, we have to deny wagering the Race Piece if we don’t want to really bet it.”  
  
“Grrr.” Illya stomped her feet. “My brilliant plan… My genius scheme….”  
  
“Sssh.” Archer motioned Illya to be quiet. “This is the important part.”  
  
The screen still showed Hatsuse Ino and Miko-sama, but now Miko-sama was giving instruction. The Eastern Federation citizens must be evacuated from the continental territory, to prepare if they really lost the territory game.  
  
The time needed to evacuate all werebeasts in the continent was estimated to be around ten days. After that, the game between the Elchea Kingdom and the Eastern Federation could be held.  
  
“Ten days huh….” Archer said. “Tight schedule, but doable.”  
  
Illya tilted her head, perplexed by the comment.  
  
“Illya.” Saber now addressed her, deciding that the screen finished showing all important things. “Do you know why I didn’t stop you when you told me your plan?”  
  
Illya pouted at Saber. Did Saber allow Illya to carry out her plan, just to let her fail? Did she want to humiliate Illya? Or was this bullying?  
  
Saber was unfazed by Illya’s pout. She continued. “There is a reason why I let you go on with that plan. Actually, we just need to provoke the Eastern Federation, the method is unimportant. Even showing the real Race Piece is fine, we can just retract the wager before any oath spoken.”  
  
“Provoke?” Illya was confused. “For what?”  
  
“For this.” Saber gestured to the screen. “A mass exodus. By the way, you remember that our merchants are still there, right?”  
  
“Yeah, and also the food. You said they are renting several warehouses in Eastern Federation. Why we did not take the food here?”  
  
“Simple, because our merchants have the permit to trade, and that means selling things is also permitted. Caster, tell them that they can start selling.”  
  
“Right away, Miss Prime Minister. Hehehehe” Caster laughed eerily.  
  
“Selling?” Illya didn’t believe her ears. They had stockpiled all that food and now they would sell them?  
  
She wanted to protest, but she remembered that she had just done a mistake. Maybe she would shut up and observed for a while.  


 

**====break====**

  
  
**This Game**  
  
In another world, another timeline, if there’s no food crisis happening in the Eastern Federation, the citizens would obediently follow government instruction and quietly evacuated to the islands from the continent.  
  
That’s not what happened in this story.  
  
When Eastern Federation government announced that all citizens should evacuate, many farmers said something like this: “But if I and my family go, who will take care of the crops? Even with automated irrigation somebody still need to turn on the switch. I have sold the harvest for this season, I will be in red if I can’t deliver it.”  
  
And then the fisherman said something like this: “But we already signed up an agreement to supply fishes every week! You think these fishes will just come to our warehouse by themselves?”  
  
And so on, many people in the food industries refused to go. For them, even if they went to the islands, they would still be in ruin if they couldn’t deliver their side of the deal. And also, it’s not certain that Eastern Federation would lose territory, right? They always won anyway.  
  
But still, some of the retail merchants were in a panic. These merchants didn’t have any trade contract tying them down, so they were evacuating in a rush. And yet, they also brought their stocks with them.  
  
What was the number one thing they brought with them? Food supplies. They brought still unsold food supplies with them. They knew that the food crisis would last a long time, so food was the most valuable commodities right now. They closed shop and transported their goods to the islands.  
  
This had two big impacts. First, the evacuation slowed down because the ships carried out food merchandises, not people. The officials knew that they must prioritize food, otherwise they couldn’t eat. The merchants also bribed the officials to prioritize their luggage.  
  
Second, there’s no one selling foodstuffs on the continent anymore. Even if there was, the price soared to an unbelievable level.  
  
The Eastern Federation territory on the continent was quite big. Even with all the technology, to cross all that distance needed time. And what was needed for people in the move? Food.  
  
In that kind of situation, many werebeast citizens had given up on evacuating and stayed instead. There was no guarantee that they would be able to get food in their travel, and even in the islands, food was scarce.  
  
In this situation, Elchea struck.  


 

**====break===**

  
  
**The Rules**  
  
**What can you do with a single coin?**  
  
  
“Selling, we are selling rice!” A human shouted in the central plaza.  
  
One middle-aged female werebeast approached the stall. She was surprised to see several imanity watching the stall, but the hesitation didn’t last long once she noticed that they indeed had food. She read the sign for the price  
  
**Price:**  
  
**5 sacks for 1 Gold Bars**  
  
**1 sack for 1 Werebeast Gold Coins** OR **100 Werebeast Silver Coins**  
  
**1 sack for 10 Imanity Silver coins**  
  
**10 sacks for 1 Imanity Gold Coin**  
  
The female werebeast cringed after seeing the price. That was the ongoing market price, but for the average citizens, 1 gold coin for one sack of rice was too much.  
  
And then she looked again at the price tag. Imanity coin? She was not familiar with Imanity’s currency, the Eastern Federation only used one currency.  
  
“Excuse me, what is this.. imanity coin?” The female middle-aged werebeast asked the stall minder.  
  
“Oh, dear customer!” The human replied. “They’re the coins used by the Elchea Kingdom. There are gold, silver, and bronze coins, just like in the Eastern Federation.” He showed some samples of the coin.  
  
“Uhm… but why it’s cheaper in imanity coin?”  
  
“Oh..” The seller lowered his voice and whispered to her. “It’s because the Elchea Kingdom has more food now compared to Eastern Federation. You can exchange your coins to imanity coins there.” The seller pointed at a small shop across the street. “It’s cheaper to buy with imanity coin.”  
  
The female werebeast was cautious, but hunger pushed her feet to move to the small shop. The signboard at the front said “ **Avalon Bank”**  
  
“Welcome!” A voice called out to her when she entered the door. It was a girl behind a counter.  
  
She approached the counter while looking around. It was a well-ordered place, there’s bench for waiting, and notice board at the wall. There’s no other customer except her.  
  
“Umm, I was told that I can exchange money here?” She said to the girl minding the counter.  
  
“Yes, welcome to Avalon Bank! We deal in money lending and also foreign currency trading.” The sales girl said in a cheerful tone. “Do you want to exchange werebeast coin to imanity coin? Here is the exchange rate today.” She showed a paper with numbers on it.  
  
  
**EXCHANGE RATE**  
  
**1 GOLD BAR = 3 IMANITY GOLD COIN**  
  
**1 IMANITY BRONZE COIN = 2 WEREBEAST BRONZE COIN**  
  
**1 IMANITY SILVER COIN = 2 WEREBEAST SILVER COIN**  
  
**1 IMANITY GOLD COIN = 2 WEREBEAST GOLD COIN**  
  
**1 IMANITY GOLD COIN = 100 IMANITY SILVER COIN = 10000 IMANITY BRONZE COIN**  
  
The female werebeast did a quick calculation. If she had one werebeast gold coin, she could buy one sack of rice.  
  
But if she exchanged it into 50 imanity silver coins, she could buy five sacks of rice!  
  
“Pardon me, are you sure it’s correct?” She asked because she couldn’t believe it.  
  
“Yes, it is correct.” The girl receptionist said. “But take care, it’s the exchange rate for today only. I heard that tomorrow the price of imanity coins will go up, one imanity gold coin will be equal to two werebeast gold coins and twenty werebeast silver coin. I recommend buying today before the price goes up!”  
  
The female werebeast still hesitated, expecting trickery. What kind of people deliberately selling below market price? But the memory of her children waiting at home, and her empty stomach, motivated her to act.  
  
“One werebeast gold coin.” She said, putting it on the counter. “Give me imanity coins this can get.”  
  
“Yeees, pleasure to do business with you.” The receptionist took her coin and gave her a clinking pouch.  
  
The female werebeast took the pouch, confirmed its content, and hurried back to the imanity food stall. Her one werebeast gold coin had changed into fifty imanity silver coin.  
  
“Excuse me!” She said to the stall keeper. “Umm, one sack of rice. I can pay with this, right?” She took out ten imanity silver coins.  
  
“Okaaay! One sack of rice, coming up.” The stall keeper took her coins and gave her a sack of rice.  
  
The female werebeast silently marveled. She secretly checked the sack content. It was genuine rice.  
  
But that meant she just bought this rice with only one-fifth of the current market price.  
  
She didn’t go home right away but took a look at the different stalls opened by imanity.  
  
As expected, all the price was the same as the market price when you buy with werebeast coin, but only 10% of the market price if you buy with the imanity coin.  
  
Calculating the exchange rate, the price became 20% the market price. As long as she exchanged her werebeast coin with imanity coin, she can buy five times the amount of food with the money she had.  
  
However, that receptionist said that the price of imanity coin would go up. Oh no! She must go home and take out her savings, and exchange it all to imanity coin!

 

**====break====**

  
**Mode : Very Easy**  
  
"Why Avalon?" Illya asked about the name of the bank they made.  
  
Saber replied in a somber tone. "Because only in Everdistant Utopia human needs no money to live."  
  
"Eeeh?" Illya exclaimed. "Isn't that a bad name for a bank? It's not a lucky name."  
  
"No, it's appropriate. We are trying to make the werebeast coin disappear." Saber said.  
  
Illya and Saber were in their usual conference room. There was a big blackboard on one side, where Saber wrote and draw diagrams. She was explaining the special operation that Elchea was conducting.  
  
It's because Illya kept complaining that she didn’t understand what they’re doing.  
  
"The foodstuffs price has risen to around ten times the usual market price, and still continue to rise. One sack of rice is usually around seven to ten silver coins. Now it's one hundred silver coins, or equal to one gold coin." Saber said while writing with a chalk on the blackboard.  
  
"In this situation, we sell food at cheaper price, but only if they buy with imanity coins." Saber said.  
  
"But isn't it a loss for us?" Illya asked. "We buy food with a higher price before."  
  
"It is a loss, but not so much." Saber answered. "And the food we buy can't stay fresh indefinitely. Even preservation magic has a limit, and it constrains our resources to keep them. It's better to release them."  
  
Saber draw again on the blackboard, making a picture of two werebeast coins and one imanity coin. "Now, the Werebeast has no other means of exchanging currency other than the Avalon Bank that we made. We set the exchange rate one-sidedly. For two werebeast gold coins, they got one imanity gold coin."  
  
Saber then put a balance scale on the table. She put one werebeast gold coin on one scale and one imanity gold coin on the other. The scale balanced out. "As you can see, the weight and size of the coins are almost the same between two currencies. There is a difference in the content mixture, but it's so small and can be neglected. And that means?"  
  
Illya jumped from her seat and shouted excitedly, "We buy two gold coins with just one gold coin! We get double profit!"  
  
"Exactly. And then, the Eastern Federation citizens are still under the effect of inflation. The period before we sell food has made some of them lost their savings. Even now, the price of the food we sell is virtually double the usual market price. They need money."  
  
And then Saber wrote _'Consumer Loan'_ on the blackboard. "Avalon Bank will lend money with 0.5% annual interest. There will be many people who will borrow money, expecting to pay the debt later after they got their salary or income."  
  
"But that's almost zero!" Illya protested.  
  
"Yes." Saber said. "But we only lend imanity coin. And we demand they pay with imanity coin."  
  
Illya shuddered after hearing that. If the value of werebeast coin kept decreasing, the people who got their salary or payment in werebeast coin wouldn't be able to pay their debt.  
  
"What if they can't pay?"  
  
Saber wrote three points on the blackboard. "We will give them a choice. First, handover their asset. Of course, the asset we seize should be in higher value than the outstanding debt. Second, we offer a game of arm-wrestling with a Servant. Preferably Berserker. The wager is all of their assets, and if they win all their debt is erased. Most people will back down after several brave challengers lost."  
  
She underlined the third point. "Third, and this will be the choice that the majority will pick, is to give an exclusive right to Elchea Kingdom merchants to buy their products, if they are producer or farmers. That will secure the food supplies for the next two years at least. We will monopolize the entire food supply."  
  
"What about middle-class workers? Or low-income household?" Illya asked.  
  
"We take away their asset. For example, seize the ownership of the house and make the family pay the rent. If they can't pay rent it will become another debt." Saber said.  
  
"That will result in... endless debt!" Illya said in surprise.  
  
"It is." Saber said. "The takeover will not happen instantly. There will be some time before an average person really unable to pay the debt."  
  
Saber wrote again on the blackboard, this time writing 'Interest rate' and 'savings'. "Even with the lending scheme and the lower price of food, the wealthy will still keep werebeast coin in their saving account. The Eastern Federation has several private banks. They are still primitive though, even with electronic record and computer."  
  
"Avalon Bank gives 10% annual interest for any saving in imanity coin." Saber grinned. "That will get their attention."  
  
"But the bank will lose money!" Illya protested again. "We give 10% interest for deposit and only take 0.5% for lending, we lose 9.5%!"  
  
"There's a simple solution for that. We melt werebeast coin and mint new imanity coin. Because these people will exchange their coins with us, we practically take half of their money. After deducting that 10%, our profit is 40%. If we use alchemy to transmute werebeast coin into imanity coin, it will be fast and efficient."  
  
Illya tilted her head and pondered. "Are these werebeasts so stupid?"  
  
"No." Saber answered. "But money and profit can make people behave irrationally. People will trust imanity coin because it's backed by food. As long as we supply food with a fixed price, their confidence in the currency will grow."  
  
"Money, gold and silver coins have intrinsic value. But what's important is the perceived value. 'I can use this one imanity silver coin to buy a loaf of bread.' Meanwhile, one werebeast silver coin can't buy anything worthwhile, and its value keeps decreasing."  
  
Saber kept drawing to illustrate her point. "For investors, they have reserve money not used in anything. Let's say 1000 werebeast coin. They can buy 1000 sacks of rice with that money."  
  
"But if they exchange their money into imanity coin, they can buy 5000 sacks of rice. However, they don't need 5000 sacks of rice right now. That doesn't mean they can just do nothing."  
  
"If they wait, the value of werebeast coin will drop, and that money can only buy 4500 sacks or something. But, if they exchange it and save it in Avalon Bank, assuming the price of rice is stable, next year they can buy 5500 sacks." Saber finished explaining.  
  
"I see." Illya nodded. "They are blinded by the prospect of profit. But won't the other banks respond, maybe by raising their interest rate?"  
  
"They can, but that's only delaying their bankruptcy. They have to make a profit, so the loan interest rate must be higher than the deposit interest rate, but that will only make people move to Avalon Bank with a lower loan interest rate. And they can only deal in werebeast coin, something that will soon be abandoned. If the other banks want imanity coin, that's good too, they have to exchange it from us."  
  
"Hmm." Illya was thinking, trying to find a flaw in Saber's plan. It's not like she was being petty, but the Queen must correct her subordinate, right?  
  
"What about the people in the islands? They also keep werebeast coin."  
  
Saber grinned. "That's why we also opened a branch there."  
  
  
**===break===**  
  
**Now Loading**  
  
"I am sorry dear customer, this restaurant only receive payment in imanity coin or Avalon Banknote. Also, you have to pay upfront."  
  
In front of an establishment, a waitress was explaining to potential werebeast customers.  
  
This restaurant was one of many restaurants that Elchea Kingdom opened in Eastern Federation. The signboard said "Flugels Cuisine."  
  
The promotion flyers said: "Taste the cooking of the sixth ranked Exceed!" , "Food that satisfies the Heavenly Winged Race, now also available for you." "6000 years’ experience pursuing the ultimate cooking."  
And so on.  
  
  
After Archer taught the Flugels cooking, he said something like, "A true chef can cook in a professional setting, for the paying customers." And then he gracefully provided the place and opportunity for Flugels to have practical experience by opening restaurants and food stalls all over Eastern Federation.  
  
Or so that's what the official story told to the Flugels.  
  
And that's how the Flugels worked for free as chefs in those restaurants. It's possible that the Flugels knew that they're being used, they're not that stupid, but they didn't really care. All they wanted was to test out their cooking skill.  
  
The restaurants and stalls sold delicious food, cooked by Flugels. Some humans were working to assist them by taking the orders, delivering food, or handling the payment. The price was cheap, so many werebeasts visit them rather than buying the very expensive food.  
  
Inside the restaurant, on one of the table, a cat-eared merchant was having a conversation with a goat beastman.  
  
"What? But that's 50% higher than the price last week!" The cat-eared merchant said.  
  
"That's how it is. The living expenses increase, so I need to raise my milk price. Otherwise, me, my family, and my farmhand cannot eat." The goat beastman said.  
  
"I can always find another supplier." The cat-eared merchant threatened.  
  
"Be my guest." The goat beastman was unfazed. "Everyone is in the same situation, and I expect the other to increase their price more. I can also find other buyers. In fact, the merchants from Elchea buy anything these days."  
  
"Surely you can't trust these... these... foreigners!" The cat-eared merchant said indignantly.  
  
"They sell food, that's what I know." The goat beastman shrugged. "And anyway, the price will increase by 100% next week."  
  
"Whaaaaat?"  
  
"Yeah. That's because you pay with werebeast coin. I have to exchange it to imanity coin, and I predict the value of werebeast coin will keep lowering next week." The goat beastman said and sipped his tea.  
  
"Wait! I bet there's a conspiracy here. This exchanging coin business sounds fishy!" The cat-eared merchant said.  
  
"Don't care." The goat beastman said, putting his cup down. "What I know is that imanity coin gets me food. If you still pay with werebeast coin, then the price will keep increasing. Maybe you should exchange your coin now, and pay me imanity coin next week? Just a suggestion."

 

  
**====break====**

  
**Mode: HARD**  
  
"Almost all the Eastern Federation natural resources, such as food and minerals, metals, and even textiles, are produced in the continent." Saber said while pointing at the map.  
  
"Now imagine if almost all of the citizens in the continent changed their currency into imanity coin." Saber drew on the blackboard.  
  
"Ah!" Illya hit her left palm with her right fist. "The citizens on the islands have no choice but to also switch to the new currency."  
  
"Precisely."  
  
"Why don't we left them starving? I bet our position will be stronger that way." Illya asked.  
  
"In famine, the weak died first. Women and children will be the first to die. It's not worth causing that casualties just to play a game." Saber answered.  
  
"We are playing a game?" Illya asked. They hadn't declared the word **_Aschente._**  
  
"We are, even if the other side doesn't know yet. It's called real world monopoly." Saber said.  
  
Ah, Illya remembered that game. While she was visiting Shirou’s house, Taiga sometimes brought board games and she ended up playing together with everyone. One of the game was a classic called Monopoly. Shirou, as well as Sakura, was not too good at playing it. Rin played well, but she often made mistake in crucial moments. Illya was quite good at it if she can evaluate herself. Saber…. Once she understood the rules and adapted, she was indomitable.  
  
Still, Illya had difficulty imagining Eastern Federation as monopoly board.  
  
"So, we absorbed their currency and replace it with our own. And then what?" Illya asked again. She liked the straightforward method. All of these complicated schemes flew over her head.  
  
"Well, first we have the report that several banks already collapsed. It's just a matter of time before Avalon Bank becomes the only bank operating in Eastern Federation. We have already moved to buy the assets of the failing banks."  
  
"Failing banks?" Illya knew banks from the real world and monopoly game. But banks can fail?  
  
"Yes, people withdraw their money en masse, intending to exchange werebeast coin into imanity coin." Saber drew the square with a 'bank' label and filled half the square with the word 'money', leaving the other half blank.  
  
"The problem is that the bank doesn't have enough money in reserve because they have lent away some of them. When everyone tries to collect money all at once, the bank can't give it. The bank defaulted, that is the word for a bank that can't give its customer the money it owed." Saber drew several other squares with label 'bank'.  
  
Ah! Illya now understood. It’s when playing monopoly, the player acting as the bank run out of toy money and can’t pay the players their GO salary. The player needed to open a new set of monopoly game and take out another set of toy money.  
  
"Because one bank failed, people will be worried about their money saved in other banks. They will also withdraw their money from other banks, creating a chain reaction." Saber explained.  
  
Saber crossed the banks square one by one. "Like a house of cards, they will all fall."

 

**===break===**

  
**Time-out**  
  
There was a delay because the Eastern Federation government was busy in evacuating the citizens to the islands, but when the banks defaulted one by one, of course, the government finally noticed.  
  
The Fox Shrine Maiden, [Miko-sama], was listening to her subordinates' reports. She clenched her teeth and gripped her chair hard, seething in frustration. Her fiery gaze cowed the country's officials in the room.  
  
It was obvious to the officials why she was angry. Actually, this scene mirrored the one happening six days ago.  
  
“The Piggy Bank and the Peacock Finance Bank has declared bankruptcy today. That makes six banks who already declared bankruptcy so far in two days.” The fox eared Finance and Trade Minister said to the meeting.  
  
“Everyone is in panic, and that makes the situation worse.” The wolf-eared female, the Minister of Industry said. “They all want to withdraw money and exchange it to imanity coin, and deposit it to Avalon Bank.”  
  
“Preposterous!” Miko-sama shouted. “They trust another country’s money more than our own? They will rather store their money in hairless monkey’s bank? Anyway, HOW COME A FOREIGN BANK IS SUDDENLY DOING BUSINESS HERE?”  
  
In this world, the banking system was not fully developed. Even when Eastern Federation developed computers and created electronic records, the bank activity didn’t change much, only doing saving and lending. Because of that, there’s no strict regulation on banking. And the nation also didn’t guarantee the deposit stored in the bank. It’s all private sector without government interference.  
  
Also, there’s no such thing as foreign currency exchange or international trade. In the rare occasion that international trade happening, usually, it was done by the barter system. Another nation’s currency didn’t worth anything. Usually, foreign merchants converted everything into goods to sell when they came home because werebeast coin was only used in the Eastern Federation. If some merchants took foreign coin home, they’re only a few, and there’s no impact felt in the economy.  
  
That’s why Eastern Federation was ill-prepared in tackling the economic attack.  
  
A bureaucrat presented a document with a trembling hand. “We… we didn’t expect…. Buried under all the paperwork… They applied for a permit…”  
  
In a glance, it was just the usual permit application for a foreign merchant. But when reading the details, the long-winded complicated sentences had one meaning: to establish a bank. The details about storing money, lending money or giving interest rate, all dispersed in many clauses and hidden in difficult words.  
  
“They’re taking our gold. One imanity gold coin is now traded for three werebeast gold coins. That’s three to one ratio. We have to stop them!” The treasurer, one male elephant werebeast said.  
  
“Get them out!” Miko-sama said. “Revoke their permit! I don’t care how, just force Avalon Bank to close and expel the bald apes from this country!”  
  
“I’m sorry Miko-sama.” The Finance and Trade Minister apologetically said. “I believe we can’t do that. Rather, that will worsen the situation.” His fox ear twitched. “They now hold our citizens’money, banishing them will only move our money to their country.”  
  
“I agree.” Fisheries and Sea Resources Minister, a beaverkin said. “If we stop their bank, I’m afraid the food merchants and the restaurants will also close shop. If that happen…, there will be widespread famine. The refugee from the continent lives only by borrowing money and buying the food from foreign merchants. In fact, the economy currently depends on the loan given by Avalon Bank. If we expel them, there will be a recession.”  
  
Miko-sama gritted her teeth. Right now, it’s as if the Elchea Kingdom took the Eastern Federation economy hostage.  
  
“Our most urgent concern is government shutdown.” Internal Minister said. “The civil official's salary and our budget and expenses are still in werebeast coins. If the price keeps rising, we can’t run the government. Unless… we also exchange our treasury with imanity coins?”  
  
“What do you say?” The treasurer yelled.  
  
“No, our most urgent concern is the banks.” Finance and Trade Minister said. “We need to inject the still standing banks with new capital, giving them government loans. We need to save them and keep citizens trust in our banks.”  
  
“Where do we got the money?” A voice asked.  
  
“But it’s private sector! A government interference there is unprecedented!” Another voice asked.  
  
“We already in a tight situation just to pay salaries!” “We are the ones who should borrow money!” “The price for infrastructure maintenance is increasing!” “What about the refugees?”  
  
The room descended into chaos.  
  
“Silence!” Miko-sama said to the room. The room quieted down after she shouted. “We can’t lower ourselves by exchanging our currency to imanity coin. The only way remaining is….. Treasurer, mint new coins, as many as you can.”  
  
“Understood. I will make as many as I can. Fortunately, we have an exclusive supply of gold and silver.” The treasurer said, his large ears waved in relief.  
  
' _This is not the end for Eastern Federation. We are not cornered yet_.' Miko-sama thought.  


 

**===break===**

  
**Game Over**  
  
“By the way Saber, where do you learn all of this?” Illya asked. She knew that Saber was a king, but did ancient England had an impressive banking system? Illya can’t remember.  
  
“Oh well. Shirou was always going to school during the day, so I don’t have anything to do at the house.” Saber answered. “So, I watched TV. There are many informative programs and I learn a lot. And then there’s this one time when they talked about the banking system.”  
  
Illya was gaping. From TV? A country was brought to ruin using knowledge from TV?  
  
“I was interested and then I asked Shirou about it. He bought me a book and also showed his school textbook. Iyaah, the modern banking system is so wonderful! If only I had something like that during my rule, there are many things can be solved.” Saber’s eyes glazed over, remembering the distant past.  
  
“Hmm,” Illya responded. “You haven’t told me why we replace the currency though.”  
  
“Ahem.” Saber switch into serious mode. “Tell me Illya, what is the function of government?”  
  
“Eeeh? Umm..” Illya looked at the ceiling, thinking hard. “Umm, to have police, and then…. Umm to have judge and the law and all that… and… Ah! To have military and invade other countries!”  
  
Saber smiled and patiently explained. “Well. You are right for the most part. To maintain public order by police, to uphold law and justice by the judicial system, to defend against external threats by maintaining an army, making laws and regulation, building and maintaining infrastructure, mint official coins, and impose taxes to fund all of those activities.”  
  
“Armies? Now that you mention it…. We don’t have armies.” Illya put her index finger on her chin.  
  
“That’s true, isn’t it.” Saber gestured with her palm to the sky. “In this world of Disboard, every conflict is resolved with a game. Every contract and promise resulting from the game is sealed by Ten Oaths. In that case, there is no need to maintain an army, because no foreign army can invade. There is no need for police because there is no robbery, violence, stealing, killing, or any other crime. Well, there’s fraud, but that’s rare. You can’t even dine and run in this world.”  
  
Saber continued, showing three fingers in her hand. “And that makes the government in this world essentially only have three works other than having a game with other nations. These three are: doing public works, making regulations, and minting coins. If we replace Eastern Federation currency, they will have no money to do public works, and their legitimacy to create regulations will also be void.”  
  
Illya beamed. “In other words, a useless government!”  
  
“Yes.” Saber said. “A trust in a currency is directly related to the trust in government. When people don’t trust the currency, they also don’t trust the government. Anyway, this is actually an experiment.”  
  
“Experiment?”  
  
“I want to try taking the official representative position of the Werebeast race without any game. See if all the trust in government switch over to Elchea Kingdom government, will the Race Piece also change hand?”  
  
“I don’t think so,” Illya said. “And it’s impossible for all of the werebeasts to suddenly trust me. They haven’t even seen me yet.”  
  
“Uh-huh.” Saber nodded. “That’s why, only experiment. And even if it fails, it doesn’t matter. We will essentially take over all of Eastern Federation's economy.”  
  
“But Saber, if I were the Eastern Federation Queen, I will mint more coins,” Illya said. “And then using the new coins, I will stabilize the economy and gradually drive the foreign influence out of the country.”  
  
“No, this is the end for them. Checkmate.” Saber said, tossing a coin to Illya.  
  
Illya caught the coin and inspected it. “What is this? A werebeast gold coin?”  
  
“No,” Saber said. “Look carefully.”  
  
Illya examined it closely. And then she caught the difference. If the picture in werebeast coin was a lion, then this was a cat. And then the writing also said a different thing. “What is this? Toy money? Or maybe… forgeries? A fake coin?” It was very similar to werebeast coin, one must inspect closely to notice the difference.  
  
“Yes, a fake coin.” Saber said. “It is lighter than the werebeast coin and the gold purity is much lower.”  
  
“Eeeh? We can mint fake money?”  
  
“Yes.” Saber said. “What we can’t do is to mint the REAL werebeast coin. That is actually counted as stealing from another country. But we can melt it into pure gold or imanity coin because the werebeast coin already belongs to us. Funny system.”  
  
“And this fake coin is?” Illya asked, still examining the coin from various angles.  
  
“We can mint a coin that resembles werebeast coin. We never claim that they’re werebeast coins. If someone misunderstands, it’s their own fault.” Saber said, grinning in satisfaction.  
  
Illya marveled. So evil! This was so evil. “I know! You want to make people panic! A rumor of fake werebeast coins will make people distrust the currency and switch over to imanity coin. But then, how can you spread this fake coin? Paying with fake coins is counted as stealing if I understand this world mechanic right.”  
  
“Do you remember the bandits?” Saber said.  
  
“Ah!” Illya remembered the bandits who tried to rob them with a game.  
  
“The werebeasts also have bandits. We sent groups of people to bandits’ location and deliberately lost a game. We handed over our belongings. Mixed in with real money is the fake coins. Also, we dropped these fake coins around and declared that we release ownership of them. Anyone can pick them up. After that, we just need to spread rumors.”  
  
“And the bandits and the people who picked up money will try to spend them.” Illya nodded. Ëventually a skilled merchant will notice something wrong with some of the coins.”  
  
“And panic will spread.” Saber said.  
  
“If people don’t trust the werebeast coin….” Illya rubbed her chin, thinking about the scenario. “Then even if the government keep minting new werebeast coins, the citizens will immediately exchange them into imanity coins.”  
  
“And it will lead to hyperinflation if it goes on, so we will have an excuse to adjust the value of imanity coin.” Saber grinned. “And then we just need to find out which one happening first. We seize all of the citizens' assets, the minting processes can’t keep up resulting in an empty treasury, or the Eastern Federation exchange all of its money into imanity coin.”  
  
Illya excitedly jumped around. “And then we can play the game! It will be soooo unfair! Hahahahaha!”  


 

**===end===**

AN  
  
Writing this chapter is quite hard. Need to imagine a lot and read lots of historical financial crisis. Tell me if you think something is wrong.  
  
**List of references consulted.**  
  
/Currency_substitution  
  
/Bank_failure  
  
/Revaluation  
  
/Currency_appreciation_and_depreciation  
  
/Great_Depression  
  
/Systemic_risk  
  
/Hyperinflation  
  
/Money_creation


End file.
